Tribe 3: Wonderwall
by PinkTribeChick
Summary: I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.
1. Chunk 1: Sections 1 thru 5

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 1: Sections 1 thru 5**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary:** Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before.

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **I started this story in July/August of 2000, and completed it sometime during 2003, I think. It was my first foray into Tribe fiction and is to date my longest and only finished long story. Many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback. And here it is – I felt like it was long overdue time that I should post this and some of my other Tribe stories here! Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 1 thru 5

_"I said maybe (I said maybe) . . . you're gonna be the one that saves me (that saves me) . . . and after all . . . you're my wonderwall . . ."_

_Oasis_

"Get in there!" the guard shouted, pushing Trudy into the hotel basement. He shut the door and locked it.

"You can't keep me in here! I'm the Supreme Mother, you twit!" Trudy screamed at him. "You can't do this to me!"

"Yes, I can! We don't want you! Just the baby!" the guard said, laughing. He walked away. "Oohh . . . I'm going to kill them all someday!" she growled. She spun around, looking at her surroundings. There was old furniture scattered around the room and a doorway that led to another room. She could hear voices coming from inside the room, so she walked over to the doorway.

"Hel - oh, my god!" she exclaimed, peeking into the room. Her mouth fell open when she saw the two familiar people the voices belonged to. Two teenage girls sat on an old couch inside the room, one holding a baby. The one on the left had long, wavy blonde hair, with black roots. She was slender and had an air of confidence, as she stared incredulously at Trudy. The other girl, to the right, had curly blonde hair, pulled back in a bun, and glittering blue-green eyes. In her arms she held a little girl, a baby who couldn't have been more than a year old. The baby had curly jet black hair and pale blue eyes, and reminded Trudy of someone she knew.

"Trudy?" the girl on the left said, puzzled by Trudy's presence there.

"Oh my god! I've really lost it now! I'm seeing dead people! Ghosts!" Trudy crumpled to the ground, hysterical. The girl got up and ran to Trudy's side.

"Trudy, calm down! It's really us. It's me and Zandra," the girl said. Trudy was rocking back and forth, shaking her head violently. "Trudy, look at me." She turned Trudy's head, so she could see her face.

"Amber?" Trudy sputtered, looking into her old friend's green eyes. She touched Amber's hand. "We thought you were both dead! I can't believe it!"

"Not dead. Just kidnapped, and very well hidden," Amber responded. "They just brought us here a few days ago. The explosion was merely a diversion, so they could take us." Zandra stood up and walked over to Trudy and Amber.

"The Supreme Mother, huh? What a crock!" Zandra said bitterly. "I knew it had to be you, from the moment they first mentioned you. You're in charge of the whole thing! How could you have let everyone believe we were dead? How could you _not_ have known where we were all this time?" Zandra scowled angrily at her.

"If I'm in charge, Zandra, then what am I doing down here with you two, like a prisoner?" Trudy retorted. Zandra looked away, not having a suitable answer. "I had no idea, honestly. I wasn't kidnapped myself until months after you. I'm just a pawn. They brainwashed me to get to Brady. They wanted her, not me." She burst into tears. "They took her . . . they took my baby! And everyone else, too!"

"Shhh . . . it's okay. We believe you," Amber said, putting her arms around Trudy. She looked up at Zandra.

"I guess we have to believe you. Judging by your reaction to seeing us and all . . . nobody could act _that_ well," Zandra said. "I'm sorry for accusing you."

"Thanks," Trudy said, still crying.

"Do you know if Lex is okay?" Zandra asked.

"I don't know . . . I didn't see him or Bray amongst the lot they brought in. I didn't see Salene or Ryan either, now that I think of it," Trudy responded. She looked at the little girl Zandra was holding. "She looks a lot like Lex."

"I know. Sometimes I think she's the only reason I've managed to survive it all. When I look at her, I see him . . . and it gives me hope," Zandra said, smiling. "Her name is Lexandra."

"She's beautiful," Trudy said kindly. She turned to Amber. "Listen . . . I'm really sorry about all of this. If I had known . . . well, let's just say a lot of things would be different right now."

"It's okay, Trudy," Zandra said. "Like you said, you didn't know."

"You believe me?" Trudy asked.

"Yeah, I guess so. I mean, I don't understand why you betrayed everyone, but it's obvious that you feel guilty," Zandra answered.

"You have no idea," Trudy said. "I feel like a fool. I traded the best friends I ever had for power. And I didn't even do it for Brady, really. First, you two died . . . then I was kidnapped . . . it was like something just snapped. I couldn't handle it anymore."

"Well, I think it's about time to break free," Amber said, with a grin. "We've got some friends to rescue. Are you two in?" She put out her right hand. Trudy and Zandra looked at each other. Then they both put out their right hands, smiling. The three girls shook on it.

* * *

"M-hmm-mmm . . . ," Bray moaned. "Amber . . . mmm . . . " He slowly opened his eyes.

"Aren't you calling for the wrong girl?" Ebony asked teasingly. Bray sat up in bed, shocked to see her.

"Where am I? Where's Lex?" Bray said, looking around frantically.

"Lex is fine. He's got a few bumps and bruises, but he'll be okay. He's in the kitchen eating," she replied. "You gave us quite a scare, Bray. We weren't sure you'd make it. You've been unconscious for almost three days."

"Where am I?" Bray repeated.

"Rebel Headquarters. And I am not quite as dead as you thought," she said. "I'll go get you some food, and then explain it all to you. And I think someone wants to see you." She pointed to the doorway, where Lex was standing. She stood up and walked to the door. As she walked past Lex, she whispered something to him. "You tell him about her. I just can't do it." Lex nodded.

"Hiya, buddy!" Lex said, walking into the room. He had a bandage on his forehead and bruises on his arms. "I'm glad to see that you're back from the dead . . . I need to tell you something." Lex sat down on the bed.

"What's wrong, Lex?" Bray asked, his heart beginning to race. "The last time you gave me a look like that . . . " He trailed off, not wanting to speak their names. It had been almost a year since the girls had died, and the two still found it hard to say their names.

"I know, man," Lex said sympathetically, patting Bray on the shoulder. "This isn't easy to say . . . but I have to say it."

"It's Danni, isn't it?" Bray said. Lex looked up at the ceiling.

"The Rebels didn't get there in time. She's dead, Bray," Lex said.

"How?" Bray asked, tears filling his eyes.

"They drowned her. The Rebels tried CPR . . . but it was no use. I'm really sorry, man," Lex said.

"First, I lose Amber, and now Danni? What is this? Some curse or something? Am I destined to lose every woman I love?!" Bray exclaimed angrily, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Bray. They did all they could for her, really. But we really don't have time to worry about this right now," Lex said. "I'm not trying to be harsh, but we do have people to rescue and a Guardian to fight. And that's the truth. You'll have time to mourn later. Right now, we need you to recover from your injuries, so we can launch an attack on the Guardian and his followers."

"I know . . . I just feel like I've lost Amber all over again," Bray said.

"Maybe that's because Danni was so much like Amber," Ebony said, walking into the room. "I brought you some soup." She set the tray down in front of him.

"She really wasn't that much like Amber," Bray said firmly. "Was she?" He looked at Ebony questioningly. Ebony and Lex looked at each other, and then at Bray.

"Exactly like Amber," they both said at the same time.

"Why do you think everyone resented Danni so much?" Ebony said. "Do you get it now?" Something about their words struck Bray. It suddenly made sense to him. All he'd really done was transfer all his feelings for Amber over to Danni. He'd never really loved Danni for Danni. He'd only loved her because she reminded him of Amber. And while, in a way, it eased the pain of her death, it made him feel guilty, because he knew Danni had really cared about him. If only he could apologize . . .

"Where is she buried?" Bray asked.

"Out in the back yard. We made a headstone and everything," Ebony replied.

"Take me to it," Bray said.

* * *

"Come on, Ryan. We've only a little more ways to go, and we'll be there," Salene said, as Ryan stopped for another rest break. She knew he was lucky to even be alive and walking at all, he had been so badly injured, but she still wanted to make it to the Rebel Headquarters before sundown.

"I don't know how you can have so much energy in your condition," Ryan said, referring to her pregnancy.

"I don't, Ryan. I just want to get there soon, that's all. The sooner we get there, the sooner both of us can rest, and the sooner we'll be safe," she responded.

"But how can you even be sure Bray and Lex are there?" he asked. Salene walked over to him, sitting down next to him. She took his hand in hers.

"Because their bodies weren't with the dune-buggy wreckage, and the Rebel Headquarters is the most logical place they could've gone," Salene explained. "I just have a feeling about it, Ryan. Can you please trust me? I mean . . . even if they aren't there, the Rebels are, and they can help us free everyone." She looked into his eyes.

"Alright," he said. He kissed her gently on the lips. "Let's go." He stood up and then helped her to her feet. Then they started on their way again.

* * *

"Alright . . . we've managed to get out. What now?" Zandra asked, looking at Amber. They stood outside the Hotel, hiding behind a dumpster. Amber looked over at Trudy.

"Where do you think Bray, Lex, Salene, and Ryan could have gone?" Amber asked.

"Rebel Headquarters, maybe?" Trudy suggested.

"Do you know where that is?" Zandra asked, trying to quiet a crying Lexandra.

"Yeah. But what about Brady and the others? We can't just leave them here," Trudy said.

"But we can't take on the Guardian and his followers, just the three of us. We need more people. Maybe the Rebels will help us," Amber responded. "It's worth a shot. And we'll come back for the others once we have a decent army together to fight back. Anyway, it's not safe to have Lexandra here when the fight does happen."

"I agree," Zandra said. "Come on, Trudy. What do we have to lose?"

"Time," Trudy said. "But I guess we don't have much choice do we?"

"No," Amber whispered. "Are we going or not?"

"Yeah, let's do it," Trudy said. Amber peered around the dumpster. She put a finger over her lips and motioned for Zandra and Trudy to follow her. They crept out from behind the dumpster, into the alleyway. "Alright . . . this way." Trudy pointed down the street. Zandra made sure the makeshift carrier they had made for Lexandra was secure, then the three girls took off running down the street and didn't stop until they made it to the dirt road that led out to the country.

Meanwhile, the Guardian was coming down to visit the missing girls in the basement. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, motioning for his guards to follow him.

"Alright! Come out now! We've brought you some food!" the Guardian called out. No response. "Louis, go check the other room to see if they're in there. Now!" The guard ran into the adjoining room, then came back out.

"They're gone, sir," the guard said.

"What?!" the Guardian exclaimed angrily. "Gone?!" He shoved the guard to the ground. "How could they have gotten out? There are no windows, nothing they could escape out of!" He spun around to face the other guards. "Search the entire premises. They couldn't have gotten far. Find them! Dead or alive, I don't care! Just bring them back! GO!" The guards ran off to search for the missing prisoners. The Guardian walked into the adjoining room and looked around, trying to figure out how they escaped. He looked up at the ceiling. A tile had been removed, revealing an air-duct. He scrunched up his face, then threw the plate of food at the wall. It hit with a remarkable force and shattered to pieces. He stomped out of the room and back upstairs.

* * *

"Here we are," Lex said, helping Bray to Danni's grave.

"Can you leave us alone for a little while?" Bray asked, kneeling down beside her grave.

"Sure, man. I'll be back in a few minutes to get you," Lex replied. He walked away. Bray traced the letters on the tombstone with his fingertips. _Danni . . . May we never forget why she died . . . Rest in Peace._ Bray started to cry again.

"First, Amber . . . then you," he whispered. "What next? I'm sorry, Danni. I'm sorry we weren't able to save you . . . sorry for the way I treated you . . . sorry for not loving you the way you loved me. And I just hope . . . wherever you are . . . that you can forgive me." He brushed a tear away. "That's all I needed to say." He slowly stood up and turned around. A girl was coming into the back yard, from the house. She had long blonde hair and a familiar gleam in her eyes. As she came closer, he realized who it was: Amber. He faltered slightly, falling to his knees again. He started to cry harder.

"Bray!" she exclaimed, running to him. "Are you okay?" She knelt down beside him.

"I'm seeing things . . . she's dead . . . Bray, you're just seeing things," he murmured to himself, rocking back and forth. "You're going crazy, that's all."

"You're just fine, Bray," Amber said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "And you're not seeing things. I'm really here. And I'm not a ghost. See, I'm warm?" She laid her head on his bare shoulder. He could feel her tears, wet on his skin. He reached up with one hand and touched her cheek, her hair, and traced the outline of her face.

"I'm not hallucinating, am I?" he said. "I've wished for this for so long, and for it to be some mind trick would be really cruel."

"I'm real, I promise," she said, smiling. "I mean . . . could a ghost do this?" She kissed him gently on the lips. Her lips were warm and soft against his, and she tasted just as he remembered. He took her in his arms and held her to him.

"Oh, my god," he whispered. He looked up at the sky. "Thank you, Danni. Thank you."

"I'm really sorry about her," Amber said, looking up at him. "Danni was really nice."

"How did you know her?" Bray asked, shocked.

"She was a prisoner at the Hotel with us. You were all she talked about before they killed her. They wanted to kill us first, but she gave herself up to save us, and they killed her instead," Amber said. She shook her head silently. "I never told her who I really was, but somehow . . . I think she knew anyway."

"I lose her, and find you again. Why?" he asked.

"I don't know. It may not be fair, but I'm here. And so is Zandra," Amber responded.

"Z-zandra?" Bray stuttered, shaking.

"She's inside with Lex. They have a baby, Bray . . . a little girl. She looks just like Lex," Amber said. "But first, I have something I need to say to you."

"I won't blame you if you hate me. For Danni, and all," he said, looking away.

"I could never hate you, Bray. Never. And I don't care who you were with or what you did while I've been gone. All that matters now is that we're together again. And no matter what you do, I will always love you." She brushed a strand of hair out of his face. "God, I missed you."

"I don't deserve this . . . you . . . I gave up on you. I thought you were dead," Bray said quietly.

"Love is blind," she said simply. "We don't get to choose who we love. And I love _you_."

"I love you, too," Bray said. He touched her cheek gently, then kissed her. "This time, it's forever." They kissed again.

"You've got yourself a deal," she said, smiling. "Let's go inside. Zandra wants to see you, too, and you need to meet the baby. She's so cute!"

"I bet she is," Bray responded. They both stood up, and he took her hand in his. Nothing had ever felt quite so right to them both as being together did. Things were going to be okay.

* * *

**_Please review – I'm anxious to hear your thoughts! And thanks for reading!_**


	2. Chunk 2: Sections 6 thru 10

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 2: Sections 6 thru 10**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback. Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 6 thru 10

* * *

After leaving Bray at Danni's grave, Lex walked back into the small farmhouse the Rebels used as their hideout/headquarters. He walked into one of the bedrooms and flopped down on the bed, lying on his back with his hands behind his head. Thoughts of Zandra began to fill his mind.

It had been so long since he'd actually allowed thoughts of her to creep into his mind. Thinking about her had always been painful, and only Bray really seemed to understand how it felt, seeing as he lost Amber in the same explosion. Sometimes, Lex wondered what the baby would have looked like, and whether it would have been a boy or a girl. And sometimes, _sometimes_, he wondered if there could have been anyway Zandra and Amber could have been saved. A tear rolled down his cheek.

"Oh my god!" he heard someone exclaim from downstairs. He quickly got up and ran down there to see what was wrong. Ebony stood at the doorway, holding the door open, her mouth hanging open in shock. Trudy stood there, and Lex scowled at her.

"What are you doing here?" Lex asked angrily. "Come to capture us as well?"

"Not exactly. Though I did bring some company," Trudy replied, smiling. She stepped aside, revealing two people standing behind her. His eyes widened in realization, as he understood who they were. In front of him, stood Amber and Zandra, very much alive, and in Zandra's arms was a baby.

"What-how-why?" Lex sputtered. He collapsed into a nearby chair. "This can't be possible. It can't be!" Amber walked over to him and knelt down.

"Hi, you. Long time no see, huh?" Amber said. He nodded feebly. "I assure you, this is real, Lex. We're real." She gave him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her, expecting to feel air, but all he felt was flesh. Warm flesh. "Where's Bray?"

"Out back," Ebony said, nodding in the direction of the backyard.

"We'll talk more later," Amber said to Lex. "I think there's someone you need to meet, anyway." She motioned for Zandra and the baby to come over to him, then walked off. Zandra walked to him slowly, and he stood up. It was almost like slow-motion as he ran to her and wrapped her and the baby up in his arms, sobbing.

"This is almost too good to be true!" Lex said. "I thought I'd lost you both forever!" He kissed Zandra gently. "Are you okay? Is the baby okay? What is the baby? What's it's name? How did you survive the explosion?" His mind was running full speed ahead, not stopping for anything.

"Whoa, whoa, Lex. Slow down. It will all be explained eventually, don't worry," Zandra said, smiling at him. "First, I'm fine, and so is the baby. Her name is Lexandra."

"I . . . we have a daughter?" Lex said, looking at the little girl. She had curly black hair, and his pale blue eyes.

"Yes. Do you want to hold her?" Zandra asked. He nodded. She handed him the little bundle of joy, tears glistening in her eyes. He took the baby's tiny hand in his.

"Hiya, Lexandra. I'm your daddy," Lex said. Watching the scene between father and daughter was even making Ebony tear up. "It's nice to finally meet you. And I promise, now that you and your mommy are home again, I'm never gonna let you go. I'm never gonna let anything hurt you ever again." Lex looked up at Zandra. "She's beautiful. Just like you."

"I know," Zandra said. "She looks like you more than me. But she's my little angel. She kept me alive through it all. Her and Amber."

"I love you, Zan," he said, smiling. "And I love you, too, little one." He looked at Trudy. "Thanks, Trude. I really needed this."

"Don't thank me. I didn't even know they were alive until a few hours ago. Amber's the one who got us out of that awful place. But they still have everyone else. Including my baby," Trudy said. "They made me a prisoner with the others after they took Brady. They wanted her, not me." Lex looked at her questioningly.

"It's true, Lex. They have everyone, including Brady. Poor Trudy was just a pawn," Zandra said. "But she's here now to help. We have a lot of people to rescue. A lot of friends."

"I know," Lex said. He looked at Trudy again. "I guess since you brought my wife and baby home to me, I can let it slide just this once."

"Thanks, Lex," Trudy responded.

"Zandra!" Bray exclaimed, coming into the room, hand-in-hand with Amber. He gave her a hug, smiling at Lex. "Welcome back!"

"Thanks, Bray. It's wonderful to see you," Zandra replied. "It's wonderful to see everyone again, actually. Amber and I missed you all so much."

"We missed you, too," Bray said. "So is this the little tike?" Bray walked over to Lex and the baby.

"Yep, this is my daughter, Lexandra," Lex responded. Bray smiled at the little girl. Then he noticed Trudy standing nearby. He walked over to her.

"Are you okay?" Bray asked, giving her a hug. His reaction startled her slightly. She had been expecting him to be mad.

"I'm fine. But they have Brady and the others," Trudy replied.

"Don't worry. We'll get them back. We'll free everyone," Bray said. "And we'll defeat the Guardian once and for all."

"Here-here!" Lex agreed. Suddenly, the door opened again. And in walked Salene and Ryan.

"Wow! That was one long trek!" Salene exclaimed, sitting down in a chair, putting her hands on her swollen belly. Neither she nor Ryan had noticed their two returned compatriots.

"I'll say!" Ryan responded. Then his eyes bugged out, as they widened. "Zandra! Amber!" He ran to Zandra, giving her a hug.

"What?" Salene said. She stood up and looked around. It was then that she saw Amber and Zandra. "Oh . . . oh . . ." She started to cry. "You're alive!" Amber walked to Salene, and the two girls embraced.

"We're home for good, Salene," Amber said. "Home for good this time." She stood back, looking at Salene. "Are you pregnant?"

"Yes . . . Ryan and I are going to have a baby," Salene said.

"That's wonderful!" Zandra said. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks, Zan. It's good to see you," Ryan said. "I'm so glad you're alive." He hugged her.

"Ryan, Salene, I want you to meet my daughter," Lex said, referring to the baby in his arms. Salene walked over to him.

"She's beautiful, Lex. What's her name?" Salene asked.

"Lexandra," Lex said proudly.

"I can't believe it," Ryan said, putting his arm around Lex's shoulders. "You're a daddy now, and I'm going to be a daddy soon, too. Who would've thought?"

"I know, Ryan," Lex said. "So? Let's start planning our attack! It's time to rescue everyone else! What do you all say?"

"Let's do it," Bray said.

"I agree," Amber ceded.

"Me, too," Salene and Ryan chipped in.

"Yeah, let's kick some Guardian butt!" Trudy said.

"Well, here's what we've gotta do . . . ," Ebony started.

* * *

"Here's some water," Cloe said, handing Jack the glass. "Is she any better?" Jack tilted Ellie's head up and poured some water into her mouth. She swallowed a little, the rest dribbling down the sides of her mouth. Her long blonde hair was peppered with grey streaks, and her skin was wrinkled. She had contracted the virus from one of the guards at the Hotel, where they were being held prisoner.

"No. Her fever's shot up a little more in the last hour, and I swear she looks even older," Jack said. "I just hope Dal can make it back in time with the antidote." Dal had managed to escape the Hotel through one of the air shafts and went to retrieve vials of the antidote from the Mall. If he hadn't been caught already . . .

"I'm sure he will. He'll make it back, don't worry, Jack," Cloe said. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"Nah. Just leave us in peace. If she gets any worse, I'll let you know," Jack said. "Just try to keep Alice calm. Having her all upset isn't going to help Ellie at all." Cloe nodded and walked out of the room. Jack looked down at his sleeping girlfriend. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"Ellie, you're gonna make it. You have to. I need you. Alice needs you. We all do." She shifted a little, making a face. "Look . . . I know I've never been entirely out-and-out with my feelings for you. But if it helps you somehow to hear this . . . I love you, Ell. I love you, and I need you more than anything else in the world. If I lose you, I don't know what I'm gonna do . . . " He trailed off, sighing loudly. "Like you can actually hear me anyway." He looked out the small window in the room, at the sunshine outside, as tears rolled down his cheeks.

* * *

Dal opened the hidden compartment in the old grandfather clock in the antique store at the mall. Surely enough, 10 vials of the antidote sat in a container at the bottom, just where Tai-San said they would be. He opened the container and gently took the vials out, one-by-one. He placed them in his coat pockets. He heard a noise downstairs, and quickly shut the compartment, hiding behind an old trunk.

"Hello? Anyone here at all?" he heard Bray call out. He stood up and walked to the store entrance, peeking downstairs. There stood Bray, Lex, Salene, and Ryan, with four girls and some militia.

"Bray?" Dal called out. He walked out of the antique store and downstairs.

"Dal? What are you doing here?" Trudy asked.

"I escaped. Ellie's got the virus, and I came to get the antidote," Dal said. "She's pretty bad off." He looked at the others. "I'm glad to see you all. Everyone else's at the Hotel, being held. We really need your help." He looked at the people standing behind Bray and Lex. He blinked, for a moment thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him. He thought he saw Amber and Zandra. As he opened his eyes again, they were still there. "Is there something you want to tell me, Bray? 'Cause I'm either seeing things, or you have two ghosts standing behind you."

"Hi, Dal," Zandra said, shifting the baby she had in her arms.

"It's really you, isn't it?" Dal asked. He ran to Amber, wrapping his arms around her. "Oh, my!" He and Amber were both crying, as they held on to each other.

"My, you've gotten so tall and thin. So handsome," Amber said tearfully, smiling at him.

"You haven't changed a bit," Dal said. He turned to Zandra. "Zan!" He hugged her. "Is she yours?"

"Yeah. Lexandra. Named after her daddy and me," Zandra responded.

"Well, now that we have you, maybe we can figure out some way to get into the Hotel. Do you know how to get into the rooms, Dal?" Lex asked. "We want to free everyone first. That way, there are more people to fight back."

"Well . . . I got out through an air shaft. But how are we gonna get Ellie out? She's barely conscious, Lex," Dal replied. "Getting the others out should be a piece of cake, though. We just need a distraction."

"I can do it," Zandra said. Everyone looked at her incredulously. "What?"

"I'm not going to let you, Zan. We need you to stay here with Lexandra and Salene, so you both don't get hurt," Lex said.

"Listen, Lex. I love you, but you're not my boss, husband or not. I'll do as I please," Zandra said. Lex looked at her wide-eyed, surprised she'd actually stood up to him. She turned to Dal. "What exactly would I need to do?"

"Distract the guards somehow? I'm sure you can figure something out," Dal said, shrugging his shoulders. "All I know is that we need to get the antidote to Ellie, and fast. She may not have much time left."

"Alright. Zandra, you'll be the distraction, while Dal, Amber, and Trudy get everyone else out of there. Once they're out, you're free to run, Zan. The rest of us will combat the guards and whoever makes it to the Guardian first, capture him, alive. Also, make sure you're on the lookout for Brady. You find her, you bring her back to the Mall immediately. Salene and the baby are going to stay here, just to be safe. We'll all meet back here afterward, okay?" Ebony instructed. Everyone nodded. "Alright, let's head out!" They broke up and walked out of the Mall, toward the Hotel.

* * *

Jack was asleep, holding Ellie in his arms, when he awoke, hearing noise in the ceiling. He sat up, laying Ellie's head on the pillow, and looked up at the ceiling. Suddenly, a tile in the ceiling was removed, and Dal jumped down. Jack smiled in relief.

"You're back. Good. We were starting to all get worried that you might've been captured," Jack said. "Did you get the vials?" Dal nodded and triumphantly pulled one of the vials out of his jacket. He handed it to Jack. Jack walked over to Ellie, sitting down beside her on the bed. He lifted her head up and poured the antidote into her mouth. For once, she swallowed most of it. Jack put the lid back on the vial and handed it back to Dal.

"Listen . . . do you think we could get Ellie up to the air duct and smuggle her out?" Dal asked.

"What? Are you joking? She's barely alive right now," Jack said, giving Dal a strange look.

"I brought some help back with me," Dal said, pointing to the air duct. Then Trudy jumped down, followed by Amber.

"Holy cow! Amber?!" Jack exclaimed. Everyone else in the other room heard him, and came running through the adjoining doorway. Their mouths all fell open when they saw Amber.

"Amber!" Cloe and Patsy both exclaimed excitedly, running to her. She wrapped them up in her arms, hugging them tightly. Tai-San and Alice stood in the doorway, smiling.

"Girls, you've both grown up so much!" Amber said.

"You're alive . . . ," Tai-San said. "How?" Tai-San walked over to her, embracing her.

"We were kidnapped. The explosion was a diversion. We were never really dead at all," Amber said. "Come on, guys. We've got to get Ellie and the little ones out of here. Zandra can't hold the guards off for much longer. Jack, do you think we can get her up to the air duct?" Amber looked over at him.

"Yeah, but it'll take a little boosting. She's not exactly conscious right now," Jack said. He picked Ellie up, cradling her in his arms. "Dal, you go up first, then I'll pass her up to you, and follow." Dal pulled himself up into the air duct.

"Alright, Jack! Pass her!" Dal called out. Amber and Jack lifted Ellie up, and Dal took her hands, pulling her into the air duct. Then Jack came up. Amber looked at the others.

"Cloe, Patsy, you go next," Amber said. She gave them both a boost, and they were out. "Tai-San, Alice, we're going to need your help fighting. Are you up to it?"

"Yeah. No problem," Alice replied.

"I guess," Tai-San said reluctantly. "You know I don't believe violence is always the answer. But we have to free everyone else, so I have no choice, do I?"

"Not really," Amber responded. Suddenly, someone kicked the door to the room open. There stood Bray and Lex.

"Is everyone out?" Bray asked. Amber nodded. "Come on, girls, we've got some work to do. Dal and Jack will get the others back to the Mall safely." The four girls walked to the door. They decided to split up and go different ways to find the prisoners, Brady, and the Guardian. Tai-San and Lex were paired together, as were Bray and Amber, and Trudy and Alice. Tai-San looked at Lex. In all the commotion and reunion, Lex had forgotten about his other wife. He tried to speak, but she spoke first.

"It's okay. I know I have to let you go. It's just better that way," she said. "You and Zandra were meant to be together, and I can't stand in the way of what's meant to be."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah," Tai-San said, nodding.

"Thanks, Tai-San," Lex said. "You're the best." He walked ahead of her slightly.

"I know. But it doesn't help mend a broken heart," she whispered, tears filling her eyes.

* * *

Alice looked over at Trudy angrily. She could barely believe Trudy's 180 in attitude. Trudy looked over at Alice.

"Look, I know we've never been best girlfriends or anything, and that you resent and blame me for everything that's happened," Trudy said. "But can we just put that aside for right now? What's important is finding Brady and defeating the Guardian and the Chosen. And things are a little different now, okay?"

"Alright. But as long as you explain yourself later," Alice said. They walked down a long hallway where there were a bunch of doorways. "Okay, I think this is where they're holding Brady." Alice pointed to a door on the left. She opened it slowly and peeked inside. The nanny that was supposed to be watching Brady was fast asleep.

"This may be a little easier than we thought," Trudy said. They crept inside, trying not to wake the sleeping woman. Trudy looked into the crib and gasped. "She's not here, Alice! Brady's not here!"

"What? Oh, lord!" Alice walked over to the crib. Surely enough, there was no Brady. "Jaffa must have her. Come on. We have to tell the others." They ran out of the room.

* * *

**_I know you're out there, guys! Please review – I'm anxious to hear your thoughts! And thanks for reading!_**


	3. Chunk 3: Sections 11 thru 15

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 3: Sections 11 thru 15**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback. Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 11 thru 15

* * *

Bray looked over at Amber. He still found it hard to believe that she was alive, standing there next to him. She looked almost exactly as he remembered her, except she wore her hair down now, instead of in knots. Her long blonde hair was wavy and practically touched her rear, it was so long. She wore a long grey skirt, her boots, and a sleeveless top, and very little makeup. If they hadn't been so busy at the moment, he probably would have wrapped her up in his arms and kissed her, he wanted so badly to hold her. He pushed that thought out of his head as they continued to search the Hotel for the Guardian.

"Something wrong?" Amber asked him, still looking straight ahead.

"No. Why?" he responded.

"You keep looking at me. Like there's something on my shirt or my face or something," Amber said, smiling.

"No . . . I just can't believe you're here, that's all," Bray said. "It still feels like a dream or something."

"Well, you'd better get used to it, cause I'm here to stay," she said, squeezing his hand.

"I certainly hope you are. I couldn't bear losing you again," he said, smiling.

"Bray! Amber!" they heard someone calling from behind them. The pair stopped and turned around to see Alice and Trudy coming toward them. The four met in the middle of the hallway.

"What's wrong, Alice?" Bray said, noting the panicked looks on her and Trudy's faces.

"Brady wasn't in her nursery with the nanny. The nanny was out cold, and the crib was empty. We think Jaffa or someone else may have taken her," Alice said. Bray looked at Trudy. Her face was white, her eyes red from crying.

"Are you sure?" Amber asked. Alice and Trudy both nodded. Amber looked to Bray, then at Alice again. "Alice, take Trudy back to the Mall. Wait there with the others. We'll find her."

"Okay," Alice said.

"Don't worry, Trudy, we'll find her, I promise," Bray said, hugging her.

"You promise? Please don't let anything happen to her, Bray," Trudy said.

"We won't," Bray said. Trudy and Alice walked away. Bray looked at Amber. "We've got to find them and fast. There's no telling how far away they could've gotten with Brady."

"I just hope they haven't gotten too far," Amber said. "Or we're gonna have a problem."

* * *

Lex and Tai-San were walking down a hallway on the second floor when they heard the sound of a baby crying in one of the rooms. Then they heard a voice, trying to quiet the baby. Tai-San put her hand on Lex's shoulder.

"This must be the room," she said.

"Alright. Stand back," he said. Tai-San stood, back to the wall, as Lex kicked the door open. Inside, stood the Guardian, several of his guards, and in his arms, Brady. The Guardian handed Brady to a guard.

"Well, well, well. I see you've managed to survive the buggy wreck. How about your friend Bray? Is he alive as well?" the Guardian asked, walking towards them.

"Come one step closer, and I'll break your neck," Lex snarled. "Tai-San, go signal the others." Tai-San stepped away hesitantly. "Go!" She ran off. "Yes, we are alive, after you tried to kill us! But my question is, why did you take Zandra and Amber?"

"Simple. They were Mall Rats' weak spot. I knew if I took them, it would destroy the rest of you, especially your two strongest. That is, yourself and Bray. Until they escaped," the Guardian said calmly. "I'm sad to say now that I must find another way to destroy you all."

"That's a crock, if I ever heard one!" Lex said. "Why'd you really take them?"

"That's for me to know, and you to find out," the Guardian said.

"Liar!!!!!!!!" Lex shouted, lunging at him. The guards were dispatched and grabbed Lex, pulling him back. The Guardian laughed, taking Brady in his arms again, as Lex struggled, but could not break free.

"Tie him to the chair over the pool, and leave him to die," the Guardian said. He looked at Lex. "You and your friends are to your history. Enjoy what time you have left. Buh-bye." He walked out of the room with Brady.

"No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Lex screamed, as the guards bound his hands together and blindfolded him.

* * *

"Alright, guys! Let's go!" Ebony said, as she and the militia of Rebels charged across the street towards the Hotel. "And remember! Whoever finds the Guardian - if he has Brady with him, make sure she is out of the way before you fight!" Some ran in through the front entrance to the Hotel, while others went around to the back, and to the side doors.

Ebony carefully crept in through the pool area, and laughed at the sight she saw there. Lex was tied to a chair, struggling mercilessly, as some guards tried to raise Lex and the chair above the pool. Obviously, they weren't getting very far, because Lex was sinking fast into the water. Lex saw Ebony, and she signaled that she would help him. She had to think fast, or Lex would drown.

"Oh, boys!" she called out seductively. The guards turned to look at her. "Look at this!" She flashed them, holding her shirt up. They dropped their ropes, and Lex swam out of the pool to safety. Then she put her shirt down and ran off, following Lex down the alley way, toward the Guardian and Brady.

As Lex caught up with the Guardian, he pounced on him, knocking him to the ground. Ebony ran up behind the two guards that were with him, and hit their heads together, knocking them out. She took Brady from the guard's arms, as Lex pinned Jaffa to the ground.

"Alright, Jaffa, now you're gonna tell me. Why did you take Zandra and Amber?" Lex said, twisting the boy's nose.

"Bite me!" the Guardian sneered. Lex twisted a little harder. The Guardian yelped in pain.

"Tell me, or your nose won't be the only thing I break," Lex said viciously. He twisted Jaffa's nose a little more.

"Alright, alright!" Jaffa exclaimed. "We wanted them to give us information about Zoot's death, as well as the Mall Rats. We thought maybe they could tell us your Tribe's weaknesses. But they wouldn't tell us anything. Your leader, Danni, I believe her name was, sacrificed herself to save them."

"And did you ever try to sleep with either of them?" Lex asked.

"The one without the baby, yes, and I didn't get very far. She's a tough one. But I never harmed the mother and child," Jaffa replied. Lex twisted his nose the rest of the way, breaking it.

"That's for trying to rape Amber," Lex shouted. He punched Jaffa in the stomach. "That's for taking them, and then making us think they were dead." Then he kneed him in the balls. "And that's for my wife and daughter!"

"Lex, here!" Ebony shouted, tossing him a set of handcuffs. Lex put them around Jaffa's wrists, and then pulled him to his feet.

"Come on, you. Let's go find the others," Lex said, dragging him away, with Ebony following, still holding Brady.

* * *

Bray knocked another guard off his feet with the stick in his hands. Around him, the other Rebels were fighting with the Chosen, killing some, and just knocking others unconscious. Amber was struggling with a female guard, who outweighed her by about 100 pounds. The guard pulled Amber into a headlock, squeezing, to cut off the oxygen supply to Amber's brain.

"Get off her, you cow!" Bray screamed, whacking the girl over the head. She loosed her grip on Amber, as she fell to the ground. Amber looked at Bray gratefully.

"I thought you said you'd never ever hit a girl," Amber said, smiling.

"That wasn't a girl, that was a psycho about to kill you," he said, laughing. "I'm not gonna let you go _that_ easily." Another guard came up behind Bray, a pipe in his hands.

"Bray!" Amber yelled. Bray whipped around just in time to see the pipe come swinging downward. He stopped it with one hand, and punched the guard in the stomach with the other.

"Alright, you Chosen! Back away from the Rebels, or your precious Guardian gets it!" Bray heard Lex shout. He and Amber turned to see Lex, Tai-San, and Ebony standing in the doorway to the Hotel, with Brady and the Guardian. Ebony was holding Brady, trying to quiet her fussiness, while Lex had Jaffa in handcuffs. Jaffa's nose was broken and bleeding. "I mean it! Put down your weapons, or I'll break his neck! Trust me, it will only take one quick jerk, and he's dead. PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN!" The Chosen all looked at Jaffa questioningly.

"Do as he says," the Guardian commanded. The Chosen slowly began to put their weapons and armor down and back away.

"Okay . . . that's better," Lex said. "Now . . . I want you all to disperse. The Chosen . . . the Supreme Mother . . . the Guardian . . . it's no more. Got it? Zoot is dead, and you're looking at his killer: ME! He's not Christ or something, for pete's sakes. I want you all to get the hell of out here, out of the city, and if any of you ever so much as set a foot in this city again, you'll be dead just like he is. Got it!" The Chosen started to run, as the Rebel fighters cheered. Bray and Amber walked up to Lex.

"Good job, Lex," Bray said, giving him a high-five. "I think we might be rid of them for good."

"Oh, we are. Without a leader, they're nothing. Isn't that right, Jaffa?" Lex said. Jaffa gave him a dirty look.

"Nice nose job," Bray said pointedly, examining Jaffa's face. "Did you do it all by yourself, Lex?"

"Yeah," Lex said.

"Well, great leader, _Guardian_, what are we going to do with you?" Bray asked the handcuffed leader.

"I have an idea," Amber said. She walked up to him. Then she gave him a swift kick in the guts, causing him to double over in pain. "That's from me and Zan!"

"Let's just get back to the Mall," Ebony said. "I think Brady would like to see her mommy." The others nodded in agreement, and they set off to the Mall.

* * *

Trudy paced nervously to and fro in the Café. Alice, Ryan, and Salene sat at the table, Zandra sat, holding Lexandra in her lap. Patsy and Cloe sat on the floor, playing a game of poker with KC for candy, while Jack and Dal were in Ellie's bedroom, tending to her, hand and foot. Trudy sighed loudly.

"I hope everything's okay . . . what's taking them so long? It doesn't take that long to fight some stupid battle!" Trudy exclaimed, pacing faster.

"Trudy!" Alice exclaimed, standing up in front of the girl. "Will you please stop pacing? You're making me anxious and irritating me! Sit down and stop worrying so much!" Alice sat back down. Trudy started to pace again, ignoring Alice's annoyance.

"Trudy, don't fret about it. I'm sure everything's going to be fine. They're going to find Brady, and beat the Chosen," Zandra said, feeding Lexandra her bottle. Jack suddenly came running into the room.

"It worked! The antidote worked!" Jack exclaimed happily. "She's waking up, and her fever's broken!"

"That's a relief to hear," Salene said. She placed her hands on her belly, a practice she had adopted soon after she discovered she was pregnant.

"She's asking for you, Alice," Jack said. Alice stood up and followed Jack to Ellie's room, leaving the others in the Café. Dal came out of the room a few seconds later, and sat down next to Salene at the table.

"She's finally out of the woods," Dal said. "Finally. I was really afraid we might lose her completely." He looked at the pacing Trudy. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah. She's just worried about Brady, that's all," Salene said. "Me, on the other hand . . . I'm exhausted. The baby's been kicking a lot lately. Kicking really hard. I'm starting to wonder if it's going to be a kick boxer or something, the way it's moving."

"Well . . . I have my father's stethoscope in my room. Let me get it, and we'll listen to what's going on inside your belly," Dal said. He got up and returned a few moments later with the stethoscope. He placed it on Salene's belly, listening carefully.

"Hmmm . . ." he murmured.

"What? Is something wrong?" Ryan asked.

"No. Not exactly. Come here. You listen," Dal said, smiling. He handed the stethoscope to Ryan. Ryan put the earpieces in his ears and listened silently for a moment. "Did you hear it?"

"It sounds like two heartbeats. Two completely separate heartbeats," Ryan said, beaming.

"You're going to have twins, Salene," Dal said. Salene's mouth fell open, and Trudy stopped in her tracks.

"Twins?" Zandra exclaimed. "You mean there's gonna be two little ones running around this place that look like Ryan and Sal?"

"I think so. I heard two very distinct heartbeats," Dal said.

"Sal, that's wonderful!" Ryan exclaimed, embracing her. She hugged him back, crying happily.

"Congratulations, Salene, Ryan," Dal said, hugging her. He shook Ryan's hand.

"I'm so happy for you!" Zandra squealed excitedly.

"Yeah, me, too," Trudy said half-heartedly. "Really." She gave a smile. A voice yelled from downstairs.

"Hello? Are you guys still here?" Bray called.

"They're back!" Trudy exclaimed, scurrying downstairs, followed by the others. Bray and the other Mall Rats and Rebel fighters stood downstairs, with Brady and the Guardian in tow. "Brady!" Trudy took her daughter from Ebony's arms, crying tears of relief. She kissed the little girl on the forehead. "You're safe now. I promise, I will never do anything to put you in danger again, little one." Brady fell asleep right there, safe in her mother's arms.

* * *

**_I know you're out there, guys! 73 hits, the story has been added to a C2, and one person has added it to their story alerts list - and yet I've still not gotten a single review? Please review – I'm anxious to hear your thoughts! And thanks for reading!_**


	4. Chunk 4: Sections 16 thru 20

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 4: Sections 16 thru 20**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

For the record, Troy (the Guardian) is a character from the first Tribe novel, "Power and Chaos," by Paula Boock. He was Martin's best friend in the book, and I thought it would be fitting for him to turn out to be the Guardian, so I used the name and character. He does NOT belong to me.

Thanks to Tribefanatic, my very first reviewer! Thankyouthankyouthankyou! I was starting to be afraid that no one was ever going to say anything, and I was just going to stop posting the story! So thank you for the kind words!

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 16 thru 20

* * *

The Mall Rats and the Rebels all sat in the café that evening, enjoying a large victory feast. The Guardian was locked in the cage and given bread and water. Amber and Bray sat side-by-side at the table, holding hands and talking. Everyone agreed it was good to see them together again. Lex sat on the floor on a blanket, playing with his daughter, while Zandra ate. Tai-San couldn't look at him without tears filling her eyes. But she knew it was better this way. Zandra and the baby needed him more than she did.

"Everyone!" Ryan said, standing up. "I have an announcement to make." He looked over at his wife, smiling.

"What is it?" Amber asked.

"Well, Salene and I have some good news. Dal listened to the baby's heartbeat this afternoon, and it turns out . . . we're not just having one baby, but two. Twins!" Ryan said. Everyone let out a cheer and clapped.

"That's great, man!" Lex said, shaking his best friend's hand.

"Wonderful!" Bray said, hugging Salene. "I'm so happy for you both."

"Thanks, everybody," Salene said, smiling.

"To Salene and Ryan! May their kids be happy and healthy!" Amber said, holding her glass up.

"And to Ellie! Thank god the antidote worked!" Alice added.

"Here-here!" Bray said. Everyone clinked their glasses together. Then Bray stood up. "Okay . . . my turn. First of all, I wanted to tell you all how great you did today. You really made me feel that Danni's death wasn't for nothing. Secondly, I want to welcome back Zandra and Amber. We're glad that they are alive, and thankful to Danni for sacrificing herself so they could be here. Also, a big welcome to Lexandra, Lex and Zandra's daughter. And thirdly, since we're celebrating so many things, I'm gonna add just one more." He turned to Amber and got down on one knee, pulling a small box out of his pocket. She smiled, putting her hand over her mouth, her eyes filling with tears.

"I've had this ring since before Eagle Mountain, and I never really got the chance to give it to you. I thought I'd lost you once, only to find out that you were still alive. And the thought of ever losing you again just kills me inside, so, here I am, making sure that never happens again. Amber, you are the love of my life, my soul mate, and my world. I knew I loved you from the first time I saw you, standing there in the sewer with that bat in your hands, your hair in those dreadful knots." Everyone laughed, as Amber's smile got bigger and the tears spilled over onto her cheeks.

"So, for better or worse, I'm asking you, Amber, will you marry me?" He opened the box to reveal a small tiger's-eye ring. "Tai-San helped me pick this out, and the tiger's eye stone represents courage, which is something you have a lot of. And in accepting my proposal, it shows you have even more courage, to put up with me forever. So, what do you say?" She leaned forward and kissed him gently, tears rolling down her cheeks. Then she pulled away, looking him in the eyes. "Is that a yes?"

"Yeah," she said, laughing, hugging him. Everyone clapped as he slipped the ring on her finger. They kissed, and she sat back, laughing and wiping the tears from her eyes. Bray sat back down beside her, and they finished supper.

* * *

Tai-San buried her face in her pillow, crying. She was happy for Bray and Amber, but she still couldn't shake her own internal misery. She had lost the only guy she had ever really loved. Sure, she had always been independent, free-spirited. But when Lex came along, that all went to pot. How was she ever going to make it without him?

"Tai-San? Are you alright?" Amber asked, coming into the room. Tai-San sat up quickly, wiping her eyes.

"Yeah. I'm fine," Tai-San replied, as Amber sat down beside her on the bed.

"Liar," Amber said, smiling. "What's wrong?"

"I'm supposed to be the wise, serene one. Nothing ever gets to me. Ever. Except for him . . . ," Tai-San trailed off.

"Him? Him who?" Amber said.

"Nevermind. It's nothing." Tai-San got up and started fixing herself some herbal tea, hoping it would soothe her nerves.

"Tai, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong," Amber said, a concerned expression on her face. "What is it?"

"Him! Lex!" Tai-San exclaimed.

"What did Lex ever do to you?" Amber said.

"We were married for starters. Until she came back, her and his baby," Tai-San said bitterly. Amber's mouth dropped open in shock.

"M-married? You and Lex? You've got to be kidding me!" Amber said.

"I wish I was. It would make things so much easier," Tai-San said. She poured a cup of tea for herself and one for Amber. She walked back over to Amber and sat down, handing her the tea. "You know Lex. Did you honestly think he was going to stay faithful to a girl he thought was dead? And for how long?"

"You have a point there. Lex has never been one for commitment, even when Zandra was alive," Amber said. "But he has no choice but to stay with her, Tai-San. He was married to her first, and they have a baby."

"I know. But it doesn't mean that I don't love him any less! And he just brushed me aside, like she was never gone, and we were never married," Tai-San said angrily. "And I know, I told him it was okay . . . but he should have known it wasn't!"

"You can't expect Lex to be a mind reader. You have to tell him how you feel, not just expect him to figure it out on his own. Guys aren't very smart, you know that," Amber said. "And does Zandra even know about this?"

"No. And it's better that she doesn't. I don't want her hating me even more than she already does. That's the last thing she needs right now, with a newborn to care for," Tai-San said.

"Well, try talking to Lex. Tell him how you feel. I'm not saying that it will change anything, but at least you'll have been honest, and he'll know where you stand," Amber said.

"Maybe . . . ," Tai-San said softly. She looked up at Amber. "Listen, don't tell anyone what I've said, especially Zandra. I don't want to upset her. Please." Amber sighed.

"That's going to be hard, Tai. I mean, she's my best friend, and so are you. And besides, would it be so bad if she found out? Zandra's changed a lot in the past several months, and she might be more understanding than you think," Amber replied.

"Please, Amber?" Tai-San begged.

"Alright. But if she finds out somehow, I never knew about this, got it?" Amber said. Tai-San nodded. Amber yawned. "It's been a long day. I think I'm gonna turn in. Night, Tai-San." She gave her a hug.

"Night, Am," Tai-San responded. Amber left the room, and Tai-San started to cry again, crying herself to sleep.

* * *

The next morning started as though nothing had ever changed, as if Amber and Zandra were never gone, and the Chosen had never existed. Salene was up at sunrise as usual, fixing breakfast, with Amber's help, since Salene always had morning sickness. Zandra helped as well, feeding Lexandra and Brady before everyone else woke up. After she ate, she set to work fixing up a nursery for the two babies, and the unborn twins. During this time, Ebony crept downstairs to bring Jaffa some food, something other than bread and water, at Amber's permission. He stood up as he saw her coming.

"You're not getting out," she said. "I'm just bringing you some decent food. Amber made some eggs and toast for you, and here's a glass of milk." She slid them through the tiny crevice provided in the cage for that sort of thing. Then she sat down on a stool, watching him as he ate. She couldn't help feeling sorry for him. He was one of her best friends . . . before the virus and Zoot's death, anyway. But he was a different person now, and what he'd become, she didn't like.

"How have you been?" he asked, breaking the silence. He looked at her with concern, a look she hadn't seen on his face in quite some time.

"Fine, no thanks to you or Martin," she said bitterly. "You two treated me like a worthless whore, and these people accepted me like a long-lost sister. They fed me and clothed me, no questions asked. You take a guess as to which group I like better."

"For what it's worth, Ebony . . . I'm sorry. Martin and I never meant for all this to happen," he said.

"Well, guess what, Troy? It did! There's a little girl upstairs sleeping who will never get to know her father and how wonderful he really was. And indirectly, that's our fault. Do you know how hard that is to deal with? To look at her face, and see him every time? Have you ever thought about that?" Ebony exclaimed. "And on top of it all, the Mall Rats thought I was the one feeding you information!"

"You weren't though, and I'm going to clear that up, I promise. You deserve to be happy, Ebony," he said. "I will tell them the truth, I swear."

"Why do you care?" she asked angrily.

"Martin wasn't the only one who cared for you. He just didn't care for you in the way I did," Jaffa said. "I love you, and you know that."

"You don't know the meaning of the word," she retorted. "If you did, none of this would have ever happened. And you want to hear something, Troy? I'm a better person because of the Mall Rats. They make me feel like I'm actually worth something, that I can actually become something. That's what real love is about."

"Why do you insist on calling me Troy? It's not my name anymore," he said.

"Because, it's who you are. No matter how hard you try to run from it, no matter how much you try to change it, you are Troy Wisneski. You always will be," Ebony said. "And maybe, before the virus, I would have responded the same to your supposed affections, and there could have been something between us, but things are different now. I'm different. And you need to grow up and get a clue." With that, she stood up and walked away. He slid down the bars of the cage, until he was sitting on the floor. He buried his head in his hands.

* * *

Tai-San walked into Lex's room with a mission. He stood on front of the mirror, pulling his hair back into a ponytail. She walked up and tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around.

"Tai-San! Hi! Sleep well last night?" Lex said. He walked over to his bed and sat down, pulling his boots on.

"No, but I'm sure you did," she said, giving him a dirty look.

"What's wrong, babe?" he asked, standing up. He gave her a concerned look.

"Don't call me babe. I'm not your babe anymore, remember?" Tai-San retorted. "My problem is you. You didn't even give it a second thought as to how I'd feel about you leaving me for Zandra. Real considerate, Lex."

"Whoa! Where is this coming from, Tai? I thought you were okay with this," Lex said, startled at her hostility toward him.

"Any normal guy would have had enough brains to figure out that I wouldn't be okay with it! What girl would be okay with something like this, Lex?" she exclaimed.

"Okay, point taken," Lex said, looking down. "So what exactly are you trying to say?"

"News flash, Lex! I'm not going down without a fight, so Zandra better be prepared!" With that, Tai-San turned on her heel and walked out of the room.

"What the hell just happened here?" Lex said to himself in confusion. Tai-San was definitely not acting like herself. He shrugged and headed to the Café to get some breakfast.

* * *

When everyone had gathered in the Café, Bray started a meeting. He wanted to discuss what they should do about Jaffa, as well as his and Amber's impending marriage.

"Okay, guys! Everyone settle down!" Bray shouted over the noise. It got quiet, as everyone ate. "Alright, we have some things we need to discuss. For starters, what about Jaffa? Are we going to keep him here or set him loose on the streets?"

"I think we should set him loose," Jack said. "Having him here just gives me the creeps."

"I agree," Alice said.

"I don't," Trudy said. "If we set him free, we risk the chance of him finding The Chosen and trying to take over again. We're better off keeping him here, so we can keep an eye on everything he does."

"Good point, Trude. I agree," Lex said. "As long as he's on the streets, he's a security risk not only to us, but the rest of the Tribes as well. And I don't think it's a chance anyone's willing to take."

"Look, guys. Keeping him here means we have to de-program him," Ebony said. "It may not have been that hard to do with me, because I was already mostly de-programmed when I got here, but he isn't. And I don't think most of you have any idea what he's really like or capable of. Besides, he may not even want to stay here, and if he tries to escape, that's a security risk as well."

"I tend to side with Ebony. I've known Jaffa a long time, and so have Trudy and Ebony. My brother really screwed him up. It could take a lot of work to get him back to normal," Bray said. "Do we really want to take that large of a task on?"

"Well, if we did, it would be up to you, Ebony, and Trudy to do it, since you seem to know him the best," Amber said. "Who would be left in charge of running things?"

"You, obviously," Lex said. "You're the best leader we've had so far. Besides, I'm only security, and our other leader, Danni, is gone."

"I don't know if I want to take that on again. I have a wedding to plan, plus taking over for Sal once she has the babies," Amber said hesitantly.

"Well, I can help you, and so can Patsy and Cloe. It won't totally be on your shoulders, Am," Zandra said. "Anyway, Lex is right. You are the best leader."

"Well, I say we should at least have a trial for Jaffa. Hear what he has to say," Dal said.

"Alright. All those in favor of having a trial for Tr-I mean, Jaffa, then making a decision about him staying here, raise your hand," Bray said. Everyone's hands went up. "Alright, that's settled. We'll have the trial after supper this evening. Okay, now, all those in favor of Amber becoming one of the leaders again, raise your hand." Everyone's hand went up again. "Alright, Amber, do you accept the position?"

"Yeah, I guess so," she said. "But I expect everyone to cooperate this time around. It relieves some of my stress, okay?" They all nodded.

"Now, about the wedding," Bray said, looking at Amber. "How soon do we want to have it?"

"As soon as I can get a dress and put all the details together. I was hoping Tai-San would perform the ceremony," Amber responded, giving Tai-San a questioning look.

"Sure, I'd love to do it," Tai-San agreed. "Is there going to be a celebration party afterward?"

"I don't know. We'll have to think about it," Bray said. "Okay, next topic?" He looked around the table at everyone.

"Well, Zan and I wanted to mention possibly having a christening for Lexi," Lex spoke up. "Like maybe in the next week or so?"

"Sure. Sounds fine to me," Amber said, looking to Bray. He nodded in agreement.

"We were thinking about having a party after and hiring a musician or something to play. Sal and Ryan were telling us about this great singer that they heard everyone in the countryside raving about," Zandra said.

"Yeah. His name is Max Bono. From what I've heard, he's staying here in the city right now. So, it shouldn't be too hard to convince him to perform," Ryan added. "We can even send out a messenger to him this afternoon, eh?"

"Alright. Well, I'll leave that up to you, then," Bray said. "Does anyone else have anything they want to discuss?"

"Yeah, I do," Jack said, standing up. "Dal and I measured the water in the tank this morning. It's getting low again, and we need to go out to the reservoir to get more water. He and I are going, but we need some of you to go with us to help. Any volunteers?"

"We'll go," Cloe responded, pointing to herself, Patsy, and K.C.

"I'd go, but someone needs to stay here with Ellie. She's still very weak," Alice said.

"It's okay, Alice," Jack said. "Alright, then . . . um . . . Dal, Cloe, Patsy, K.C., and I will go to the reservoir this afternoon."

"Okay, and, Ryan, you're going to go see this Bono guy, right?" Bray said.

"Yeah, that's right," Ryan responded.

"Alright. Well, I guess that's it. Everyone just be back by suppertime. We all need to be here for the trial," Bray instructed. Then the group separated, going to do their chores for the day.

* * *

**_Okies – that's it for now! The next several sections usher in the return of someone who we all know and love – his name is Max Bono, but who is he really? And you'll meet the first original character! Stay tuned to find out who these two people are! And please, please, please review! I love hearing what you guys have to say! Thanks again for reading!_**


	5. Chunk 5: Sections 21 thru 25

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 5: Sections 21 thru 25**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Okay, I cracked and decided to post two chunks in one day! This chunk is dedicated to my first (and so far, only) reviewer, Tribefanatic! Thanks again for the review!

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 21 thru 25

* * *

Jack sat down on the bed beside Ellie. She was still asleep. Her skin and hair had improved since yesterday, and she was starting to look like herself again. He kissed her on the forehead, and she opened her eyes. He'd almost forgotten how beautiful her eyes were.

"Morning, Ellie," he said, smiling. He gently stroked her hair.

"Hi," she managed to say.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked.

"Not so old," she croaked, smiling a little.

"Do you want some water?" he offered. She nodded. He poured her a glass of water from the pitcher nearby, then helped her to sit up so she could drink it. "Ell . . . you really had everyone worried there, you know."

"Yeah, I know. Did I scare you?" she said.

"Yes," he responded. "Listen, Alice is going to look after you while I go with the others to the reservoir. And Amber said she is going to come visit you as well."

"Good. I can't wait to meet her. And what about Zandra?" she asked.

"She's waiting until you're completely well. We can't risk the baby getting the virus," Jack answered.

"Jack, come on! We've got to go!" Dal yelled from downstairs. Jack looked at Ellie again.

"You'll be okay?" he said.

"Yeah. You be careful, Jack," she said. He kissed her again on the forehead.

"I will, I promise." He got up and walked to the door to leave.

"Jack?" He turned to face her again. "I love you, too," she said. A smile spread across his face. Then he turned and walked out.

* * *

Later that evening, after everyone had returned from their errands, they ate supper, then settled down to have Jaffa's trial. Lex dragged Jaffa into the café, still handcuffed, and shoved him into a nearby chair. Amber sat behind a table, acting as judge, while Bray was to be interrogation. Amber hit the toy gavel on the table three times.

"Will everyone come to order please? The court is now in session," she said loudly. Everyone took their seats as Bray stood up. "Bray, you may now begin." She nodded at him, smiling. He smiled back, then walked over to Jaffa.

"For the benefit of everyone here, please state your name," Bray commanded.

"Jaffa, or Troy Wisneski, whichever you prefer to call me," Jaffa responded. "I'm also known as the Guardian."

"I'm sure by now, Troy, you've probably figured out why we're having this trial. We, as a tribe, are going to decide whether to allow you to stay here, or kick you out. First and foremost, do you have anything you wish to say in defense of yourself?" Bray asked.

"Yeah, I do," he replied. "Look, I know I was wrong in what I did. All of it. All the deaths, all the destruction. And I'm sorry for it. Sorry for killing Danni, sorry for kidnapping Amber and Zandra. Everything. But I only did it partially to carry out Zoot's orders, to continue his legacy of power and chaos, and to bring power to myself."

"Is that all you have to say? You're sorry?" Bray asked sarcastically. "Sorry doesn't cover brainwashing Trudy, or treating Ebony as you did, or any of it. You'll have to do a little better to convince us, Troy."

"I would like to straighten something out, for Ebony's sake only. She wasn't your leak. She wasn't the one who was giving me my information," Troy said.

"Who was it then?" Amber asked, leaning forward in her chair.

"Yeah, who was it?" Lex asked. Troy (Jaffa) took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Danni was your spy. She'd been feeding me secrets since she joined your Tribe. But the final trap, where we took leaders prisoner . . . she had no idea what she was walking into. Not only did she sacrifice herself for Amber and Zandra, by offering to let us kill her first, but she stabbed you all in the back. That was the main reason we wanted her dead. It's always been Chosen policy to kill any and all outside accomplices," Troy said. Amber and Bray's mouths fell open, along with the rest of the Tribe, except for Ebony. Bray looked at her incredulously.

"Did you know about this?" Bray asked her.

"Yeah. But I never said anything," Ebony said. "You wouldn't have believed me anyway, and you all know it. Danni was your perfect little leader. No way she'd ever betray you. I, on the other hand, had many crimes to my name, making it seem like an obvious choice. So it was easier to just let you all point your fingers at me than try to fight a battle I knew I couldn't win. But, Bray, I assure you, Troy is telling the truth. I can also tell you that I'm fairly sure Danni knew that Amber and Zandra were alive, even if she didn't recognize them when she was face-to-face with them. Am I correct, Troy?" She looked across the room at him, a pointed look.

"Yeah. She knew," Troy mumbled.

"Well, moving on . . . Troy, why do you think we should let you stay here?" Amber asked, trying to change the subject.

"I don't have anywhere better to go, do I?" Troy said bitterly. "Besides, I'd rather stay here than be on the outside again. And there are people here worth staying for." He looked at Ebony. She averted her eyes from his, looking at Amber.

"Will you be willing to undergo therapy and change your ways?" Bray asked him.

"Yeah, I guess so. I mean, what choice do I have? I want to stay here, and I know you'll only let me do it on your terms," Troy responded. "Anyhow, I want to change. And I'm being sincere about that. I don't like who I am, and you people seem like good people, so it's worth a shot. And if means anything to the rest of you, especially Trudy and Ebony, I really am sorry for everything that happened. I just hope you can all forgive me."

"Alright, that said . . . let's vote," Amber said. "All in favor of Troy staying, raise your hand." The first hand to go up was Ebony's, followed by Trudy, then the rest of the Mall Rats. "It's unanimous. Troy, welcome to the Mall Rats. But on a one-month probationary term. After a month, we'll gather again and see if there's any improvement in your behavior, then vote on you staying here permanently. Okay?" He nodded. "You can take the cuffs off him now, Lex. Ebony, he's gonna room with you for the first few nights, okay?" Ebony groaned loudly and stood up, walking over to Lex and Troy. She took Troy's hand and led him away. "Oh, and find him some other clothes! He's gonna scare people walking around in that Guardian getup!" Ebony put a hand up and waved, still walking off.

"Okay, court's over," Lex said, wiping his hands on his pants.

"Hey, that's for me to say!" Amber exclaimed, smiling. Everyone laughed and started upstairs. It was time to go to bed.

* * *

"Hello?!" a soft voice called from downstairs in the mall. "Anyone here? I need some help, please!" The noise woke Ryan, the guard for the night shift, up. He opened his eyes to see a red haired girl standing at the entrance to the sewers. He quietly reached up and pulled the rope that rang the alarm bell upstairs. The sound startled the girl, and she froze, while Ryan grabbed the steel pole out from underneath his chair. She spotted Ryan, but didn't try to run for it. He walked over to her with a confused expression on his face.

"Help me, please!" she pleaded to him. He saw the blood on her wrists. A large gash, one across each wrist, the blood dripping on the floor. Ryan caught her as she collapsed. The others came running downstairs, groggy.

"What's wrong, Ryan?" Bray said, yawning. He rubbed his eyes, then took a good look at Ryan. He saw the bleeding girl and ran over to them. "Oh, my god! Dal, she's hurt!" Dal ran over to them and examined her wrists. He stood for a moment, thinking.

"Alright . . . take her upstairs to my room. I'm going to have to stitch that up." Ryan and Bray ran upstairs. Dal turned to the others. "Okay, Patsy and Cloe, I need you to find some scissors, a needle, some thread or fishing line, whichever you come across first. And some clean rags to use for bandages. Zandra, Salene, take the younger kids to the café. Lex, you take over for Ryan as guard. Am, I'm going to need your help with the operation, okay?" Everyone split up, doing as Dal instructed. Dal and Amber walked upstairs to his room. They found Bray attempting to stop the bleeding on the girl, and Ryan pacing nervously.

"Amber, you take over for Bray. Ryan, I need some hot water and soap, if you can find it. Bray . . . can you just try to keep everyone calm, and go check on Ellie and Jack? They didn't come downstairs at the bell." Bray and Ryan nodded and walked off in their respective directions. Patsy and Cloe came running into the room.

"We found everything you asked for," Patsy said, handing him the supplies. Dal rolled up his sleeves and walked over to the girl.

"Amber, can you take her shirt off? I need the sleeves out of the way," Dal said. Amber looked at him questioningly. "I mean it. Just cover her up with a blanket or something. I don't care, just get her shirt off." Ryan came back with a steaming bowl of water and a bottle of liquid soap. Dal washed up, then walked back over to Amber and the girl. He sterilized the needle, and cut some thread, then set to work. He and Amber talked as he sutchered.

"Nobody knows who she is?" Amber asked. Dal shook his head. "I guess we'll just have to wait until she wakes up, then."

"If she wakes up. I have no way of knowing how much blood she's lost. It could be very little, or several pints. But I'm determined to give her a chance, even if it's a small one," Dal said, concentrating on the stitching.

"I've been meaning to ask you something . . . and while I know this probably isn't the best time to be asking, I'm going to do it anyway. I was wondering . . . Zandra's going to be a bridesmaid, but Tai-San can't, since she's performing the ceremony. Would you like to be one of my bridesmaids? Or more correctly, my best man, since you're my best friend and all?" she asked. Dal stopped and looked up at her.

"I'd love to, Am," he said, smiling. "But as long as I don't have to wear a dress." Amber smiled, laughing.

"You won't, don't worry. You'll be wearing whatever Lex and Ryan wear. They're going to be Bray's groomsmen," Amber said.

"There's something I keep forgetting to ask you, Am. Have you told Bray?" Dal said. Amber's quickly smile faded, knowing exactly what Dal was referring to.

"No, I haven't. I hadn't planned to, either. There's really no use, seeing as he died," Amber said, averting her eyes from Dal's gaze.

"He has a right to know, Amber. Whether or not he's dead, Bray still has a right to know about it," Dal said. "I know you're scared, but if you hadn't been kidnapped, you would've had to tell him anyway. Why hide it?" Amber's eyes glazed over with tears.

"It was hard enough having to go through all of it without him there. I've already grieved once, and I don't want to do it again. What's done is done. Anyway, only you and Zan know about it, so there's no way he'll ever find out. Will he?" Amber gave Dal a pointed look.

"No. Because you need to tell him yourself," Dal responded. He started to put the bandages on the girl's arms. "Alright. That's it. We're going to have to just wait and see if she gets better now. Go tell everyone that she's okay for now, and to go back to bed, okay?"

"Okay, Dal," Amber said. "Are you going to stay with her?"

"Yeah. Just to make sure everything's okay, and there's no infection. Hopefully, she'll pull through, whoever she is," Dal said, smiling half-heartedly.

"Night, Dal," she said. Dal nodded at her, then she walked out of the room.

* * *

The next morning, the mystery girl was still unconscious, and the Mall Rats were abuzz, wondering who she was. Lex and Jack were in the sewer, trying to figure out why the security alarm didn't go off when she got in. There seemed to be a glitch in the laptop's running system, something that would take a little time for Jack to fix. Meanwhile, Amber was helping Zandra with the nursery. They'd discovered a baby shop in one of the downstairs stores and were attempting to put two cribs together. Needless to say, they weren't getting very far.

"Ow!" Zandra cried as a hammer fell on her toes. She hopped around the room, tears streaming down her cheeks. The baby was also screaming.

"Zan, you take a break for a little while, okay? Lexi's getting fussy, and I can finish this one on my own," Amber said smiling. "You didn't break anything, did you?" Zandra sat down and pulled off her boot. She wiggled her toes a little.

"No, I don't think so. It just hurt, that's all," she said. She put her boot back on and walked over to Lexi's cot, picking her up. "She's just hungry, aren't you sweetie?" she cooed at her daughter. She sat down in a nearby rocking chair and began to breast feed Lexandra.

"You're lucky, you know?" Amber said, looking at Zandra and the baby. "Really lucky."

"I know," Zandra replied, smiling sympathetically. "It doesn't really seem fair, does it? That Lexi is completely healthy and alive, while your son is dead."

"No, it isn't fair. And it bothers me sometimes. Because I heard him crying, right after my last push. I heard him, Zandra. It just doesn't make any sense. How could a stillborn baby cry? It's medically impossible. Sometimes, it just makes me wonder if he was really alive, and that awful midwife lied to me. But, why though?" Amber said, putting the last bit of the crib together. She threw the screwdriver down, and stood up, stretching.

"I really don't know, Am. I wish there was some way I could help you get through all this, that there could have been some way I could've changed things. But there isn't," Zandra said, as Amber's eyes filled with tears. "Have you even told Bray about the baby? Maybe he could make you feel a little better."

"No, I haven't told him, and I don't intend to ever tell him. EVER. There's no use in reopening old wounds and pouring salt on them. What Bray doesn't know, is only for his own good," Amber said. She brushed the wood chips off her wool skirt.

"Did you give the baby a name? Before you buried him? You never told me if you did," Zandra asked.

"Yeah, I gave him a name. It's even on the tombstone where he's buried. Bray Michael. After his dad," Amber said. "Listen, I'm going to go look down in the baby shop again and see what else I can find, okay?" Zandra nodded, looking down at Lexandra. Amber left the room, wiping tears from her eyes. Would she . . . could she, ever get past the baby's death? And could she ever tell Bray?

* * *

Ebony looked over at Troy, asleep on the couch in her room. He looked so peaceful, so harmless. He almost looked like the boy she used to know. But it wouldn't last long. He would wake up soon, and she'd remember how much she resented and hated him, and things would change again. It was times like this that made her wish that things could go back to the way they had been before the virus. It also made her embarrassed of her own past actions, because she knew, at one point, she had been just like Troy. She pushed those thoughts out of her mind as she got out of bed. She wore only a men's dress shirt as nightgown, as she tiptoed across the room to get her clothes.

"Do you have any idea how sexy you look in that shirt?" Troy mumbled, stretching. Ebony rolled her eyes.

"Do you have any idea of how much I can make you hurt if you don't shut your filthy trap?" Ebony retorted. Troy walked up behind her, trying to put his arms around her.

"I love it when you get angry with me," he said. She spun around and grabbed him by the arm, flipping him onto his back.

"Hear this now, and remember it. I'm not that kind of girl anymore! And I don't want you like that! You try anything ever again, and I will not hesitate to kill you, got it?!" she exclaimed. "If you want to change, I suggest the first thing you change is your attitude toward women. Treat them with more respect." She let him go and turned back around. He got up from the floor.

"The only reason I agreed to all that crap is because of you. You're the only reason I'm staying here, instead of going back outside and regrouping everyone," he snarled.

"I know, and I harbor no illusions of you ever reforming yourself, either," she responded. "But as long as the Mall Rats are being kind enough to let you stay, you're going to make some effort. Got it?"

"Alright, but only for your sake," he grumbled.

"Don't do it for me, Troy. Do it for yourself." With that, she walked out of the room to go get dressed.

* * *

**_Okies – that's it for now – for real this time! Again - the next several sections usher in the return of someone who we all know and love – his name is Max Bono, but who is he really? Stay tuned to find out! And please, please, please review! I love hearing what you guys have to say! Thanks again for reading!_**


	6. Chunk 6: Sections 26 thru 30

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 6: Sections 26 thru 30**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 26 thru 30

* * *

Trudy bounced Brady on her knee as Salene fixed some applesauce for her. Salene's motherly instinct had taken over a few days before, and she was learning how to make baby food from the canned food and fresh veggies they had. She'd gotten pretty good at it, but then, Sal had always been a good cook anyway.

"Here you go, Brady. Hot applesauce," Salene said, setting the bowl down in front of them. "You might want to blow on it a little, so it doesn't burn her tongue."

"Thanks, Salene," Trudy said. She blew on the sauce for a couple of minutes before feeding it to Brady. Salene made herself a bowl of the applesauce and sat down across the table from Trudy and Brady.

"She is getting so big. It's hard to believe she's almost a year old," Salene said. She took a bite of applesauce.

"I know. But it's kind of hard to believe anything that's happened over the past year. The virus, the adults dying . . . finding you guys . . . the Chosen," Trudy shuddered when she said that. "It still seems almost like a dream, and I keep hoping that I'll wake up soon, and everything will be back to normal."

"You and I both, Trude," Salene said. "It scared me enough, the thought of raising a baby in this chaos, but twins? It's absolutely mind-boggling."

"You'll make a fine mother, Sal, don't worry. Though I wouldn't have said so at the time, you did a wonderful job of taking care of Brady. I couldn't have done any better myself," Trudy responded. "Besides, you have Ryan to look out for you and the babies. And Ryan will be a wonderful father. You're really lucky; I lost Zoot pretty early on." She looked down at Brady.

"Do you ever miss him sometimes? I mean, Martin, not Zoot," Salene asked.

"I try not to think about it, really. But sometimes, out of nowhere, Brady will have an expression on her face that looks like him, and I'll remember him and wish he could be here to see her grow up," Trudy said, her voice wavering.

"Doesn't seem fair, does it? Every child needs their father," Salene said sympathetically.

"Well, it was an accident, him dying. And I know that. But sometimes, it just gets so hard, not having him here. I feel like I can't breathe when that happens," Trudy said.

"I know the feeling. I felt like that when I found Ryan, and he was injured really badly. It was scary," Salene said.

"Well, the thing is, I never really cared for him much. At least not until he was gone. It was only then that I realized how much he actually meant to me, and how lucky I was to have a guy like him. But it's too late now," Trudy said dejectedly. She looked at Brady again. "Uh-oh. Somebody's got a dirty nappy. Care to change it, Sal?" Salene crinkled up her nose at the smell.

"No, thanks. I leave that to you," Salene said, laughing. Trudy cleaned Brady up, then took her into the bedroom to change her.

* * *

"No . . . mmmm . . . no! Stop!" the mystery girl screamed in her sleep. "Leave me alone! No!!!!!!!!!!!" Her cries awakened Dal, who had fallen asleep. "No! Don't touch me, you creeps! No!" She sat up in bed, suddenly awake. She looked at Dal, who was standing beside her.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. She was sweaty and red faced, but didn't have a fever.

"Who are you?" she said in response. "Where am I?"

"My question first. Are you okay?" Dal said.

"Yeah, I guess so," she said.

"I'm Dal, and you're at the Mall Rats headquarters. You stumbled in here last night, really badly injured," he said, pointing to her wrists. She had remarkable green eyes, and they looked at him inquisitively. "Did you do this yourself, or did someone else?"

"Demon Dog deserters did it," she said quietly. "My friends and I were traveling to the countryside, when they jumped out of nowhere and attacked us."

"Did any of your friends survive?" he asked. "Maybe we can find them."

"No. I know they didn't. They slaughtered my friends, then tried to kill me, but I fought back. When they slit my wrists, I pretended to be dead until they left. Then I wandered around the city, looking for someone who could help me," she said.

"Wow. You're lucky to be alive then," he said. "What's your name?" He got up and grabbed some clean rags and a bottle of alcohol to clean the cuts.

"Tzara Komarovsky," she said. He began to take the bandages off her arms.

"This might sting a little, but only for a moment. It'll help to keep any infections away," Dal said. He poured a little alcohol on one of the rags and put it on the first cut. She sucked in her breath and closed her eyes in pain, while he did the other wrist. Then he put new bandages on them. "As far as I can tell, you seem to be okay otherwise. No other cuts, just a few bruises, and you didn't lose much blood."

"Thank you. You and your tribe didn't have to help me, and I know that, but you did anyway. Thanks," she said, smiling. Her whole face lit up when she smiled at him.

"You're welcome. And you can stay here as long as you like. Amber and Bray said so. I'll be back in a second. I'm going to go get Amber and tell her you're awake. She'll want to meet you. So will everyone else," he responded. He walked out of the room. When he was gone from sight, she started to cry softly. The Demon Dogs would come back for her, and she knew it. She wished Dal had just let her die.

* * *

Amber sat across from Tzara at a table in the café. They'd been talking for half an hour, and found each other to be quite likable. They were talking now about who she could room with, when a voice was heard downstairs from the sewer entrance.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Amber's face went pale, as she recognized the voice. Tzara looked at her questioningly.

"Are you okay?" Tzara asked her, noticing the odd way her eyes were almost bulging out of their sockets, she had them opened so wide.

"Hello? Ryan? Amber? Anyone?" the voice called out again. Amber grabbed Tzara by the arm and dragged her toward the stairs.

"Please, come with me. I don't want to go down there alone," she whispered, giving Tzara a frightened look.

"Why? Who is it?" Tzara said. Amber gave her a pleading look. Tzara nodded, and the two girls walked downstairs, to the sewer entrance. Amber's blood ran cold when she saw him, and she clenched Tzara's hand tightly in hers.

"Well, I was wondering when someone was going to come down here," the boy said. He was taller than Amber remembered, and his hair was much shorter. He wore a white wife-beater and black leather pants, along with sunglasses and black boots. He held a guitar case in one hand, and a suit case in the other. "Hiya, Am." He took his sunglasses off.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Amber asked, bristling at the sight of him. Tzara could sense Amber's anger at this boy's presence, although she didn't know why. "You're not welcome, Sasha."

"Ah, but I am not here as Sasha," he said. "I'm here as Max Bono."

"YOU!? You're the musician Ryan and Lex hired for the christening? You've got to be kidding!?" Amber exclaimed. She let go of Tzara's hand and turned her back to him, yelling up the stairs. "Ryan, get down here NOW! Everyone else, too!" She rang the upstairs alarm bell, which sent everyone scrambling down the stairs. Ryan and Bray skidded to a stop when they saw Sasha standing there, Lex and KC running into them.

"Sasha!" Patsy and Cloe both said, running up to him and giving him a hug.

"Hi, girls. Hi, everyone. Long time, no see, eh?" Sasha said.

"What are you doing here?" Ryan asked.

"You hired me. And since it was for the Mall Rats, I couldn't turn the offer down," Sasha said. "I am Max Bono, musician and actor, at your service." He bowed to them politely.

"Ryan, did you know about this?" Amber asked, scowling at him.

"N-no . . . not at all. I had to leave a message with his manager. I didn't actually talk to him, so I had no idea," Ryan said, putting his hands up. Amber turned back to Sasha.

"Well, you're here, and we can't very well send you back to whatever rock you crawled out from under. And we don't have time to find another musician. The christening is tomorrow," Amber said, looking him squarely in the eye. She shrugged her shoulders in failure. "I guess he can stay. But he's rooming with KC and Dal. Okay?"

"Sounds fine to me, Am," Bray said, stepping forward and taking her hand in his, possessively. The others chorused in agreement.

"Come on, Sasha. We'll get you settled in," Dal said, leading him toward the stairs. Dal turned back one last time to look at Amber. He mouthed the words, "I want to talk to you later," to her. She nodded, then looked up at Bray. The other Mall Rats headed back upstairs to work on their chores and such for the day. As soon as they had gone, Amber burst into tears, burying her head in Bray's chest.

"Shhh . . . ," Bray said soothingly, stroking her hair. "It'll be okay."

"No, it won't. Why did he come back? WHY?!" she screamed angrily, pulling away from Bray. "I mean, does he honestly think I'd want to see him again? Does he think we're going to get back together? Because we're not!"

"I know, Am. I don't know why he agreed to the gig, or what his motives are. But he's here, and we're going to have to deal with it," Bray said.

"Well, make no mistake, Bray. I'm staying with you, and that's that. I want to marry you, and not even Sasha is going to stop that," Amber said. Bray held her to him as she cried some more.

"It's all going to be alright, I promise," Bray said. He put a finger under her chin, and tilted her head so she was looking up at him. "I love you, Am, and nothing's going to change that." He smiled at her, wiping a tear from her eyes.

"Yeah, nothing," she said. "I love you, too, Bray." They kissed, but in her mind, Amber was reminded of the child she hadn't told him about. His son, her son, their son. What would Bray say if he knew the truth?

* * *

Tai-San scowled as she watched Lex and Zandra giving Lexi a bath. Zandra was laughing as Lex cooed at the little girl. It should have been her and Lex giving their child a bath, not Zandra. Tai-San sighed loudly and leaned against the wall, sinking down to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her knees and started to cry.

"You okay?" she heard a male voice say. She looked up to see Sasha standing in front of her. He knelt down beside her.

"I'm fine. Just a little angry," she replied, wiping her eyes with her fingertips.

"No, you're not fine. It's not like you to cry when you get angry. In fact, the Tai-San I know never cries," Sasha responded. "So, what's up? Who's got your back up?"

"Lex," she said.

"Again? What did he do this time?" he asked, putting a hand on her arm.

"You've missed a lot, Sasha. Amber and Zandra were kidnapped by the Guardian. Missing for almost a year," Tai-San said. "We thought they were dead, along with the baby, because Zandra was pregnant at the time. During this year, Lex and I got married."

"Wow. Let me guess, he left you again for Zandra?" Sasha said. She nodded. "Does Zandra even know?" Tai-San shook her head.

"Me, being the idealistic idiot I am, told Lex it was okay to leave. Which wasn't what I wanted, but I didn't tell him that. I thought he'd figure it out. But, as usual, the blockhead didn't, and here I am, crying over it," Tai-San said.

"I'm sorry, Tai. That really bites," Sasha said. " Not meaning to change the subject or anything . . .but just out of curiosity, what's going on with Amber and Bray? Are they serious?"

"They're engaged," Tai-San said. Sasha's mouth fell open in shock. "But, I sense something between them. There's something she's not telling him, and I don't know what it is."

"So, that may be the key to breaking them up?" Sasha said.

"Sasha," she said, smiling. "Don't even bother. Danni, Bray's old girlfriend, tried to help Bray get past Amber when we all thought she was dead. Didn't work at all. I doubt you'll succeed. Look at how bitter Amber was toward you. Not only does she resent you, but she hates you. You're lucky she agreed to let you stay here."

"I know. But she wouldn't be hurt unless she still cared a little, eh?" he responded. Tai-San shrugged her shoulders. "Well, here's an idea. Why don't you make some of that wonderful green tea of yours, and we'll go somewhere quiet and talk? Does that sound good?"

"Really good," she replied. He helped her up, and they walked to her room to make the tea.

* * *

"Alright, Troy. You can come out now," Ebony called. "I want to see if those trousers and that shirt fit. 'Cause if they don't, we've got to find you something else to wear."

"Okay, okay. I'm coming. Don't get your panties in a wad," he grumbled from inside the room. "Don't laugh, please."

"I won't. Will you just hurry up?!" Ebony exclaimed in exasperation.

"Here I come," he said. He slowly stepped out of the bedroom. Ebony smiled when she saw him. She had cut his hair earlier, so it was now short, above his ears, and she'd managed to convince him to let her use some of Zandra's blue hair dye, so it was no longer blond, but cerulean. He wore a pair of brown riding pants and a white shirt that had laces at the top. He wore a pair of black combat boots, like the rest of the boys did. Troy noticed Ebony's sly grin.

"What? Does it look that bad?" He looked down at the outfit he had on, causing Ebony to burst out laughing.

"No. You actually look . . . normal. You look like the Troy I used to know, instead of the Guardian. I like it," Ebony said.

"Good, I'm glad. Because I wasn't going to try anything else on. I hate buying new clothes. I always did," he said.

"Yeah, well, now no one will recognize you and realize that you're Jaffa, so that's a good thing. Plus, you look like one of us now. A Mall Rat," she said.

"I like the blue hair, though. Nice touch. I've only dyed my hair once before, to the blond, and it never really grew out. So it's a welcome change," he said. He put his hands in his pockets, walking over to her. "So is that girl they found last night okay?"

"Yeah, as far as I can tell. Her name's Tzara. You can meet her in a little while," she replied. "We're also harboring another guest as well. Sasha, Amber's ex-boyfriend, also known as Max Bono. Turns out he's the musician Ryan hired for Lexi's christening. You've heard of him, haven't you?"

"Yeah. Nice guy. He performed once for us. When we had Brady. Said it would quiet her down, and it did. It would explain how he knew it would calm her. He'd met her before," Troy said thoughtfully. "So, what's next?"

"Well, a nice therapy session with me. So, come on," she said, dragging him back into the bedroom. She sat down on the bed, while he sat on the nearby couch. "Alright. Bray, Trudy, and I talked last night, and we decided that for your first session, you need to reveal any more secrets you might still be hiding from us. So, spill it. It's your hour." Troy chuckled at little at her last sentence.

"I only have one left, and I'm not ready to talk about it yet, seeing as the other person involved isn't here right now," Troy answered.

"And who would that person be?" Ebony asked.

"Actually, it's two people, not just one. Amber and Bray," he replied.

"What secret could you possibly have that would concern both of them, especially Bray?" she questioned, raising one eyebrow. "They haven't seen each other for over a year. What could you possibly know?"

"More than you think. And more than Bray and Amber know," Troy said. "Zandra knows about it, too, but Amber's shut her up about it."

"Alright, well, tell me. I'll be the judge of whether or not Bray and Amber need to know," Ebony said firmly.

"You promise not to tell them yet? I may seem heartless, but this is something Amber needs to tell Bray herself. At least what she knows of it, anyway," he said hesitantly. Ebony nodded.

"You can trust me, you know that," Ebony said.

"Well . . . for starters, I seriously doubt that you or anyone else, including Bray, knows that Zandra wasn't the only one pregnant when they were kidnapped," Troy said quietly.

"What are you saying, Troy?" Ebony asked, curiously.

"I'm saying that Amber was pregnant at the time we kidnapped her. And farther along in her pregnancy than Zandra. She just hid it well," Troy said. "Yes, she did, because Bray didn't even know about it, and he was the father. I'm almost positive he still doesn't know about it, which is why I haven't brought it up. You see, I made a deal with Amber, that if I let her and Zandra stay somewhere safe until they both gave birth, I would never tell Bray about the baby, never bring it up, until she had the chance to tell him herself."

"You can't be serious . . . there's no way," Ebony said.

"If you don't believe me, you can ask Zandra. She may not say anything, but the look on her face will give it away," Troy said. "Anyhow, seeing as Amber and Bray's unborn child was the next closest heir to the empire, after Brady, since the child was Bray's, and Bray was Zoot's brother, when Amber gave birth, the child was taken and hidden from her. We told her that the baby was stillborn, which devastated her, and which she still doesn't believe. And unfortunately, she is correct."

"The little boy has been living for the past several months with a caretaker, on the beach. On a very remote part of the beach. However, I did respect Amber's request, and each time I saw Bray, I never told him. Of course, he thought she was dead, so it wouldn't have made that much of a difference, but I still never told him. And I never really intended to kill Amber and Zandra, either. They were much too valuable to the cause, and could have come in handy as a way to force the hand of the Mall Rats."

"Did your informant know about this as well?" Ebony said, sarcastically, not only shocked, but becoming angrier by the minute.

"Danni? No, she had no idea. If she had, she probably wouldn't have helped us, and would have told Bray everything. Which was exactly what we didn't want," Troy said. Ebony stood up, grabbing Troy by the collar.

"You scum bag! Taking Brady wasn't enough, no . . . you had to make Bray and Amber both miserable as well! And dragging two innocent children into a problem they had no place being in!" she exclaimed. "And you wonder why I hate you?!"

"Ebony, calm down. Someone might hear you!" Troy said, terror showing in his eyes.

"No, I won't calm down. And you're coming with me. We're going to go let this cat out of the bag, right now. And then, we're going to find that little boy. He deserves to be with his parents!" Ebony yelled. She drug him out of the room and to the café, where everyone else was sitting, eating lunch. Everyone looked at her strangely, as she stomped into the room, Troy in tow.

"Ebony? What's wrong?" Bray asked, seeing her angry expression. He stood up, as did Amber.

"Alright, Troy. Tell them what you just told me," Ebony commanded. He stood there for a moment. "Tell them, or I'll rip your nuts out!"

"Alright, alright!" Troy exclaimed, as Ebony pushed him forward. He looked back at her, pleadingly. She glared angrily at him. He looked at Bray and Amber. He had no choice. Ebony had forced his hand. "First, Amber, I think it's about time you told Bray the truth." Amber looked at Troy incredulously. "Please, just do it. There's something about it I need to tell you both afterward." Bray looked at Amber.

"What is he talking about, Amber?" Bray asked her. Amber looked nervously at Dal, then at Zandra. Dal nodded at her to say it. She took a deep breath.

"Bray . . . there's something I haven't told you about. Something that happened after Zan and I were kidnapped." She looked up at him, then down at her feet. "I was pregnant at the time, Bray." Bray stood there for a moment, silent, before it sunk in.

"Wait . . . you were pregnant? When you got kidnapped? You were pregnant? And you didn't tell me?" Bray said, confused and hurt. "Why, Amber?"

"I had just found out, a day or so before Ebony kidnapped you. I didn't have time to tell you. And then at Eagle Mountain . . . it was the last thing on my mind, and just not the right place to bring it up," she replied. "So I waited, thinking I'd tell you when we made it back to the Mall. But we never made it back, Zan and I . . ."

"The baby was mine, wasn't it?" Bray said, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Of course it was. I've never been with anyone else," Amber said. Bray sank into a chair, putting his head in his hands. "I wasn't going to tell you now because . . . well, because the baby died at birth. He was stillborn." She sat down beside him, putting her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. She looked up at Troy. He mouthed "I'm sorry," to her. She looked away, tears filling her eyes. Troy walked over to them.

"Look . . . the other thing I need to tell you . . . the baby's not dead," Troy whispered. Amber's eyes widened in shock.

"What? You lied to me! You told me Michael was stillborn!" Amber screamed, standing up. She pushed him. "How could you!? How could you do that to me?!" She shoved him to the ground. "And to think, we're letting you stay here!" She reared back her fist, about to punch him, but Bray stopped her.

"Don't, Am. It's not worth it," Bray said. He put his arms around her, eyeing Troy. Amber looked up at Bray in disbelief.

"You're not mad at me?" Amber asked, smiling.

"No, because this wasn't your fault. And I love you too much to get mad about something like this, especially since this is our child. What I do want to know is where our baby is," Bray replied. "Troy? I assume you know his present location?"

"I'll take you to him after lunch. He's about half an hour away on foot, at a secluded spot on the beach," Troy answered. He turned to look at Ebony, scowling at her. "I can trust you, eh? What a load of bull, Ebony. You did the "right thing". Happy now? Leave me alone from now on." He stormed past her, brushing shoulders with Lex, nearly knocking him over. The upset look on Ebony's face showed that her happiness at doing something right was overshadowed by Troy's anger at her. Amber walked over to her.

"Thanks, Ebony," Amber said, giving her a hug. "I know it took a lot for you to come in here and make him tell the truth. Thank you for giving us our son back. I'll never forget it." Bray smiled his thanks to her also, but Ebony found it difficult to manage a happy face at the moment.

"You're welcome. No problem. I don't think Troy's ever going to forgive me, let alone trust me again. But at least I did something right for once, even if it did cost me my best friend. Or whatever remains of what he used to be, anyway," Ebony responded. She turned and walked out of the café, tears spilling onto her cheeks.

* * *

**_That's all for today, folks! But there's still more to come soon – someone returns from the dead, someone gets married, and there's babies abounding! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . ._**


	7. Chunk 7: Sections 31 thru 35

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 7: Sections 31 thru 35**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 31 thru 35

* * *

Dal walked into his bedroom to find Tzara sitting on the bed. She had taken the bandages off her wrists and was running her hands over the slowly healing wounds, crying softly. She looked up when she heard his footsteps.

"They're going to come back for me, Dal. They are. I know it," she said, rocking back and forth. Dal sat down beside her.

"No, they aren't. You're safe here. Besides, they don't even know you're alive," Dal said.

"They'll come back. They always do. They make sure the job's done. You must know that," she responded, calming down. Her crying stopped.

"I know. But what real reason would they have to kill you?" he asked. She shrugged her shoulders.

"They never had a real reason to kill my friends or attack us in the first place," Tzara answered. She started to cry again. "I'm just so scared, Dal." Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. Dal put his arm around her.

"I promise you, you'll be safe here. You're a Mall Rat now, and we Mall Rats always look out for each other," he said to her, soothingly. "It'll be alright." She looked up at him, her face tear-stained. "I'll take care of you."

"You promise? You'll always be here for me?" she asked. He nodded, smiling at her. He wiped away a tear that fell down her cheek.

"Thanks, Dal," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "I feel much better now." Then she stood up and walked out of the room. Dal smiled, touching his cheek where she had kissed it. Then she came running back into the room. "Forgot my bandages! Wouldn't want to scare anyone by letting them see my ugly wrists!" She grabbed the rags off the bed and left the room again. Dal laughed. He was most definitely falling for her.

* * *

"So, do you feel any better?" Sasha asked Tai-San. She took a long sip of tea before answering.

"A little. Tea always calms my nerves anyway," Tai-San replied. She took another sip of her tea.

"I didn't know you had nerves . . . wait . . . that came out wrong," Sasha said, laughing at himself. "What I mean is you always seemed so calm and serene. Like nothing ever got to you."

"Stuff bothers me, Sasha. Don't ever think that it doesn't. I just hide it well and channel it into other activities. I was always taught that showing outward emotion made you look weak to those around you and made you more vulnerable to your enemies," she said. "It's just, with something like this, it's harder to channel out, and even harder to hide."

"I know. And you made a really big sacrifice, giving Lex up like that, even though it hurt. Don't ever forget that," he responded. He drank down the last of his tea.

"I haven't given him up yet, though," Tai-San said, looking into her cup of tea. Only the tea leaves at the bottom remained in the cup.

"What do you mean?" Sasha asked.

"Only that, in my heart, while I know I can never win him back, I haven't given him up yet. Wounds like this take time to heal, you should know that," Tai-San said.

"Yeah, I know. I'm still healing. But still persistently hopeful that she might change her mind," Sasha said, smiling weakly.

"I doubt she will. You heard the arguing in the café as well as I did," she said.

"Only because we're right next door," Sasha said.

"They have a son, Bray and Amber. And they love each other. Nothing could break a bond like that," she explained. She examined the tea leaves in her cup. "You know, the Chinese used to think that you could tell a person's fortune by how the leaves were positioned in the bottom of their tea cup when they were finished drinking."

"Oh? What do yours say?" he asked, peering into her cup.

"That my pain will eventually subside, and I will be able to become friends with Lex someday. Maybe even friends with Zandra. And that I will find a new love, who is even better for me than my previous," she answered, smiling. "Here, let me see your cup." He handed it to her. She pursed her lips together, examining the leaves, deep in thought. "Hmmm . . . interesting."

"What? What do they say?" Sasha asked, curiosity eating away at him.

"Yours say that you will soon settle down and find a home, possibly here. And that you will choose to stay at that place because of someone you love," she said.

"Amber, maybe?" he said.

"No, not her. Someone else," Tai-San said. "But I'm not sure who." She looked up at him. He was smiling strangely at her. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"No, not at all," he said quietly.

"What, then?"

"Nevermind. I have to go talk to Lex and Zandra, to see what they want me to play at the christening tomorrow. Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine now. See you later?" she said.

"You will, don't worry. Bye," he said, standing up. He got up and walked out of the room, toward Lex and Zandra's room, still wearing a goofy grin on his face.

* * *

Tzara walked past Jack and Ellie's room quickly, heading for the café. Ellie had gone downstairs, to use the restroom, and Jack was in the room alone. He saw a flash of red go past the door and walked over to the doorway, peering out. A petite red haired girl was walking toward the café. Jack called out to her.

"Hey! There's nobody in there!" he exclaimed. She stopped and turned around to look at him. He felt his stomach drop to the floor. She was gorgeous. She had bright green eyes and very pale skin, and she smiled at him, making his heart race.

"Are you sure?" she asked back.

"Amber and Bray left with Troy and Ryan a little while ago to go get the baby, Salene's sleeping, and Lex and Zandra are with Sasha, discussing the ceremony for tomorrow. Patsy, Cloe, and KC are tutoring with Tai-San," he said. She walked back toward him.

"I don't believe we've met. You must be Jack," she said, putting out her hand. He shook it, being careful of the wounds on her wrists.

"How'd you know?" he asked.

"I've met everyone else except for you and Ellie. Just seemed logical that you must be Jack," she said, smiling even bigger. "I'm Tzara. I just came to the mall."

"So, you're the girl Ryan found last night?" Jack said. She nodded, pointing to her bandages. "I'm glad to see that you're okay. I know everyone was really worried."

"Yeah, I know," she said bashfully, looking down at her feet. "So, where's Ellie?"

"Right here," a voice said. Jack looked around Tzara to see Ellie standing there. Tzara turned around.

"Hi! You're Ellie?" she said.

"Yeah. You're Tzara, right?" Ellie responded. They shook hands. "I heard Ryan found you last night, practically dead."

"Almost. But Dal and Amber fixed me up, saved me, really," Tzara said shyly. "Well, I'm going to go find Dal. I hope I'll see you both again soon. Bye." She walked off, and Ellie glared at Jack.

"What?" he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"I saw the way you were looking at her, Jackers. I'm not stupid, you know," Ellie said irritably. Jack put his arm around her.

"You have absolutely nothing to worry about, whatsoever, El. I love you, and only you," Jack said to her, smiling.

"You'd better," she said, pulling him back into the bedroom and shutting the door. But before the door closed, he took one last glance at Tzara as she walked away, while Ellie wasn't looking.

* * *

"You're not leaving, are you?" Ebony said, walking into her room. Troy was packing a backpack. He ignored her, and continued to pack. She walked over to him. "Please, don't leave, Troy. Please. I don't know what I'd do without you here." He stopped packing and looked up at her.

"Go insane?" he said sarcastically. "Not that you haven't already."

"That was uncalled for, Troy. I did nothing to you," she said.

"You call breaking a promise nothing? Wow . . . your definition of nothing must be different from mine," he said.

"I was only doing what was right," she defended herself. "You can't blame me for that."

"I planned on telling them both eventually, Ebony! I was trying to keep my word to Amber, and let her tell him first. Although, somehow, I don't think she ever had any real intention of telling him," he said angrily. He started to pack again. She grabbed the bag out from under him and threw it across the room.

"I'm not going to let you leave," she said. "I'm not going to lose you again, just when I've seen some hope that there might be the Troy I know somewhere inside of you. You wouldn't have told me unless you knew I would tell. Admit it. You told me on purpose, so you could blame breaking your promise to Amber on someone else." He looked away.

"You make me sick. Go ahead, leave, be a coward again. You always run from everything, anyway. What should make this any different?" She started to walk away, when he grabbed her by the arm and spun her around. He kissed her squarely on the lips. Then he pulled away, leaving her breathless.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Everything you said is right. I am a coward, and I do run away from things. And I tried to pin the blame on you for breaking my promise to Amber. But I'm not going to leave. I'm just packing some basics, for the trek to the beach with Amber and Bray, to retrieve Michael. I'm not walking away this time. Too much is at stake, and I have nowhere else to go. I'm not going to abandon you again, I promise. You're all I have left in this world that means something to me."

"Oh, really?" Ebony said. "Well, you're not going to get off that easily with me, Troy. And don't think that kiss had any affect on me in any way. Grow up, get a life." She walked off.

"Why does everything always have to be a battle with you, Ebony?!" he exclaimed in frustration. She stopped in the doorway and briefly turned to face him again.

"Because it's the only way I know if people mean what they say. I make them fight for it," she responded. Then she walked out. Troy rolled his eyes in exasperation and started to pack again. Amber came into the room.

"Are you almost ready?" she asked. "Bray's getting a little anxious. He wants to be back here with Michael before sundown."

"Yeah, I'm ready," he said, slinging his backpack onto his shoulder. He walked over to her. "I'm sorry about all this, Amber. I really didn't know what other way to tell you. I was trying to wait until you had told Bray, but it seemed like you were never going to tell him."

"I wasn't. But, now that I know my son is alive, it seems right that Bray should know. When things were different, it was hard to tell him. Hard to dredge up the past. You don't know how much it hurt, losing my baby. Or at least thinking I had, anyway," she said. "But it's okay. I'm glad you told us. Otherwise, Bray and I might've never known."

"Well, I'm sorry for taking Michael in the first place and hiding him. It was a stupid thing to do," Troy said. "One of the many things that I regret in my life. But I'm making amends now, and that should stand for something. I'm determined to become a better person, even if it kills me. I want to be the person Ebony used to know and love." Amber smiled at him sympathetically.

"It'll be okay, Troy," she said. "Come on, let's go get Bray, then we'll head on out." They walked out of the room.

* * *

Dal sat in his room, leaning his head on his hand, reading information about anesthetics and pain medications that could be used on pregnant women in labor. He was determined to be prepared as possible, since Salene was having twins, and anything could go wrong. There was a high possibility of her delivering early, and an even higher possibility that Dal would have to do a caesarian-section. And learning from Trudy's labor experience, he wanted to be able to offer Salene with something more powerful than parecetemals for the pain, but something that wouldn't hurt the babies. So far all he'd found was about epidurals, medications that went into the spinal cord, numbing the nerves. Most of the medications that were used as such were going to be practically impossible to find. Dal was ready to give up, when he heard a knock on the door.

"Can I come in?" Tzara asked, in her shy, quiet way. He nodded, shutting down the laptop. She walked into the room.

"What can I do for you?" he asked, smiling at her.

"Nothing . . . I just felt like talking," she said. "It's so quiet around here right now, it's unnerving."

"I know. But Bray, Amber, Ryan, and Troy will be back soon, and Tai-San will finish the tutoring session in a little while. As for Salene . . . well, she needs all the rest she can get," Dal said. "And I have no idea what Lex and Zandra are up to. I'm not sure I even want to know."

"Jack said that they were planning the ceremony with Sasha," she responded.

"You met Jack? When?" Dal asked, surprised.

"A few minutes ago, when I was walking to the café. I met Ellie, too," she said, making a face. "I don't think Ellie likes me very much, though."

"What makes you say that?" Dal asked. "What reason would Ellie have not to like you? She just met you."

"I don't know," Tzara said, shrugging her shoulders. "I just sensed a little anger directed at me by her. I don't know about what."

"I bet I do," Dal said, smiling. "Ellie's a very jealous person when it comes to Jack. She trusts all the other girls in the tribe, just not you. You're new, and she considers you competition, until you prove to be otherwise. Don't worry about it, she'll get over it eventually."

"I hope so. 'Cause she's the only girl that's the same age as me around here, and I'd hate to have her hate me over something so stupid. I mean, Jack's cute and all, but he's not my type," she said.

"Not your type? You just met the guy, so how in the world could you make an observation like that?" Dal asked, puzzled. Most girls went for Jack, so the fact that Tzara didn't was a little odd.

"I don't know. He's just not my type," she said.

"Give me one good example of why he's not your type," Dal said, raising an eyebrow.

"Why are you asking? It's not like it involves you, or it's that important anyway. He's just not my type, I can't explain why," she said defensively. The tone in her voice made Dal even more curious to know.

"Just answer the question, Tzara," he said firmly, smiling at her.

"How? How can I answer a question that I don't even know the answer to?" she said, standing up. "You're on crack, you know that?" She laughed, walking out of the room. Then she stuck her head back into the doorway. "Oh, and just so you know, I know you're trying to bait me, and it's not going to work."

"What, me?" he said, feigning innocence. He batted his eyelashes at her, with puppy dog eyes. "Why would I do a thing like that?"

"You figure it out," she said. "If you're so smart." She left again, and he doubled over, laughing. She was so goofy sometimes.

* * *

_**I'm feeling nice today, so I'm gonna post another chunk after this one, in honor of Tribefanatic, my first reviewer, and tribalranger and WhiteWarrior, my two newest reviewers! Thanks for the feedback, you guys rock! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . .**_

****


	8. Chunk 8: Sections 36 thru 40

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 8: Sections 36 thru 40**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

This chunk is dedicated to my reviewers Tribefanatic, Tribalranger, and WhiteWarrior! Thanks again for reviewing guys!

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick. The songs used in this section are "Maybe" by Alison Krauss and "Wonderwall" by Oasis.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 36 thru 40

* * *

"Alright, you can go now," Tai-San said to KC, Patsy, and Cloe.

"But it's early," Patsy said. "We've barely learned anything." KC clamped his hand over her mouth.

"Don't question it, big mouth. She's letting us go early, so let's go," he said. They walked out of the room. Tai-San smiled at Sasha, who was standing in the other doorway, where the kids had been unable to see him.

"How did your meeting with Zandra and Lex go?" she asked him.

"Fine. Except it is going to be a double christening. Lex and Zan decided to include Amber and Bray's little one as well, which was actually Lex's idea, surprisingly," he replied. "I'm supposed to meet with Lex, Zandra, Amber, and Bray to discuss it, once they get back with the baby." They started to walk toward the café.

"Well, Lex does have a heart, even if he doesn't show it that much. And you have to realize, in a sense, he understands how Bray and Amber feel. He thought he'd lost not only Zandra, but Lexi, when they were kidnapped," Tai-San said.

"Yeah. I guess being a father just brings out the good side in him," Sasha said, shrugging his shoulders. They sat down across from each other at a table in the café. "Anyhow . . . I'm anxious to see Amber and Bray's baby. I wonder how much he'll look like her."

"Me, too. Of course, he could look more like Bray than Amber. You never know," Tai-San said. A thought occurred to her, about something that might have happened at Sasha's meeting with Lex and Zandra. "You didn't tell them about the marriage, did you?"

"Tell who?" Sasha said, confused.

"Lex and Zandra. You didn't mention to them about Lex's and my marriage, did you?" she repeated.

"No. I'm not that stupid. That is a book that I would just rather not open. Besides, it's not my place to bring it up, since it doesn't even involve me," he said. "And, at this point, it's the last thing on my mind."

"So, what is on your mind?" she asked, sighing silently in relief. He hadn't told anyone.

"Tea leaves," he said, smiling at her. She rolled her eyes, smiling back.

"Seriously, what's on your mind?" she said.

"Amber, as usual. You'd think I'd be over her by now, since it's been over a year. But, alas, my heart still aches." He put his hand on his chest, making a silly face. Tai-San laughed. "Seriously, though, I do miss her. I still love her as much as I did the day we met. Seeing her and Bray together, with their child, is going to be really hard."

"Well, if anyone knows how you feel, it's me," Tai-San said, putting her hand on his.

"Thanks," he said.

"Hey, you two! What's up?" Lex said, walking into the café. Tai-San pulled her hand back, her face turning red.

"Nothing at all. We were just talking," Sasha said, standing up. "Are you looking for someone?"

"I was looking for Tai-San, actually," Lex said. He looked over at her. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," she said in a monotone voice, standing up. "I'll be back in a few minutes, Sasha." He nodded.

"If you're not, I'll send out a search party," he said. She smiled at him. She and Lex walked out of the café, toward the antique store.

"So, Lex, what is it that you want to talk about?" Tai-San said, unable to bring herself to look at him, even though he was standing right beside her.

"I wanted to talk about that conversation we had the other day. The one where you said you weren't going to give me up without a fight?" he said.

"Unless you have something else you want to talk about, I'm going back to the café," she said, attempting to change the subject. The triangle between her, Lex, and Zandra was just something she didn't prefer to talk about. It hurt too much. Les took her by the arm and steered her into the antique store. He sat her down in a chair, and pulled up another chair for himself.

"Why didn't you tell me it bothered you in the first place?" he asked.

"Would it really have made any difference whatsoever, Lex?" she answered haughtily. "Let's be honest here, Lex. Since the day she "died", you've always been thinking about her, always wished you could get her back. She had your baby, Lex. It really didn't take a genius to figure out which one of us you were going to choose, so I just made it easier on you."

"Alright, well . . . even so, why didn't you tell me anyway? Why did you just expect me to figure it out on my own?" he said.

"I figured you knew me well enough to know how it would make me feel. You're the only person that knows me well enough to know that stuff does get to me. It was only logical that it would bother me if you left me for her," she said. "That would upset any normal person."

"But you're not just any normal person, Tai-San. And you usually tell me how you feel about things, with no beating around the bush or lying. Why?" he said. She looked away from him, her eyes filling with tears. "Answer me. Why?"

"I felt responsible for Zandra and Amber being kidnapped, or as we thought, dead. And I promised myself, that if they were alive, and we ever found them, I would give you up, no question, since it was my fault she was gone in the first place. I did it out of guilt, Lex. It's a wonderful thing. The only problem is, it wasn't my fault, and I know that now. So, why should I have to give up the one thing I love, to a girl who's never appreciated me for what I did for you, and hated me vehemently?" she said. The tears started to pour down her cheeks.

"You say you know everything there is to know about women, Lex, yet when it comes to this, you don't have a clue. Which really makes me think you don't really know anything at all about women. And I bet Zandra would love to hear that. She's known it for a long time, anyway."

"Where is this coming from, all this hostility toward me?" he asked, baffled.

"The same place it came from the first time you left me for Zandra. My broken heart," she snapped. She stood up. "I hope you're happy, Lex. And I also hope you drop dead before you reach the age of 21. Have a nice day." She smiled at him and left the room, running toward her own. She found Sasha in sitting in there, waiting for her. He stood up, wrapping her in his arms as she sobbed.

"Shhh . . . ," he said, stroking her hair. "It's going to be alright. I'm here, and I'm not going to let him hurt you anymore." He picked her up, cradling her in his arms, and took her over to her bed. He laid her down gently. "Just go to sleep. Things will look better once you've had some rest."

"No, they won't," she said bitterly. He put his finger to her lips to quiet her.

"Just try, please? You'll feel better," he said. She closed her eyes. He started to sing to her, softly.

_"Maybe I can stand alone . . . And maybe I'm strong as stone . . . Even though the bird has flown . . . Maybe he'll fly on home."_

She smiled in her sleep. He kissed her gently on the cheek and walked out of the room.

* * *

"Here we are," Troy said, as he, Bray, Amber, and Ryan came to a stop in front of a small cottage on the beach. Amber held Bray's hand tightly, as Troy went up and knocked on the door. It slowly opened, and behind it stood a teenage boy, holding an ax in his hand.

"Hello?" he said. "What do you want?"

"Is Marlaina here?" Troy asked.

"Yeah, she's here. Who are you, and what do you want with Marlaina?" the boy responded.

"My name's Jaffa. I'm here for the little boy she's been taking care of," Troy answered.

"And I'm supposed to believe you? I've met Jaffa before, and you don't look a thing like him," the boy snarled in suspicion. "How do I know you're telling the truth?" Troy took the boy by the collar and pulled him up close.

"Because if you don't, I'll beat the hell out of you right now, and that little boy's mother, who is standing over there, will help me!" he threatened. The boy looked over at Amber.

"She don't look dangerous to me," he said.

"You make her angry, and she can be. Now go get Marlaina and the boy," Troy said, pushing the boy back into the house.

"Yes, sir!" the boy exclaimed in fright. He ran into the house and upstairs. Bray and Amber walked up to the door, along with Ryan. Bray put his hand on Troy's shoulder.

"Our son better be okay, or you'll be paying for it for a very long time," Bray whispered into his ear.

"He'll be fine. Marlaina is a very good baby nurse, and she would never put any child's life in danger. That's why I chose her in the first place. That, and you guys would have never thought to look here," Troy said. A teenage girl came to the door, holding a baby in her arms. Troy plastered a smile on his face. "Ah, Marlaina. How have you been?"

"Fine, Jaffa. Sorry about the trouble the boy gave you. He's never seen you without the cape and all before," she replied. She had long brown hair, which was pulled back in a braid, and she was very large-waisted.

"I've come to fetch the boy," Troy said, pointing to the baby she held.

"Alright, well, here he is." She handed the baby to Troy. "I'll go and get his things." She turned and walked away momentarily. Troy turned to Amber. Her eyes filled with tears as she took her son from his arms. Bray put his arm around Amber and looked at his child. The baby boy had thick, sandy blond hair, and he looked up at Amber with a pair of blue eyes that looked just like Bray's. Tears rolled down Amber's cheeks as she kissed the baby on the forehead.

"Bray, I'd like you to meet our son," she said.

"He's beautiful," Bray said, in awe. "What's his name?"

"Bray Michael," she replied. Bray looked up at her, beaming.

"Good name," he said.

"I know," she answered, smiling. She took her son's tiny hand, and he wrapped it around her finger. "Hi, Michael. I'm your mommy. I'm going to be taking care of you from now on."

"And I'm your dad," Bray said. "And we're never going to let you go again. Never ever. I promise." Little Michael yawned, then closed his eyes, settling off to sleep in Amber's arms. Troy got the bags from Marlaina, and they left.

* * *

"Where are they?" Salene said, pacing back and forth in Trudy's room. Trudy sat on the bed, playing with Brady. "You don't think they were captured by another tribe, do you?"

"By what tribe, though? They're all peaceful now," Trudy said. "You have nothing to worry about. I'm sure they're on their way back to the Mall as we speak. Now will you stop pacing? You're going to make yourself go into premature labor if you don't stop worrying so much!"

"I know you're right, but I still can't help wondering. It just seems like they've been gone forever," Salene said, sitting down in a nearby chair.

"A watched pot never boils, Sal," Trudy said. "And stressing out never does anyone any good. Especially an expectant mother." Tzara walked into the room.

"Hi! What's up?" she said, looking back and forth between Trudy and Salene.

"Nothing. Salene's just worried about Ryan and the others, but mostly Ryan," Trudy said. "I keep telling her they're fine, and that she needs to stop worrying before she makes herself sick." She gave Salene a pointed look.

"Oh . . . ," Tzara said in understanding. "Well, do either of you want to help me find Dal? He's disappeared again."

"No, I haven't. I'm right here," Dal said, walking up beside her. Her face lit up when she saw him. "What can I do for you?"

"Some of the sutures came out, and I'm bleeding again," she responded, showing him her left arm.

"Alright, come with me," he said, taking her by the other hand and leading her out of the room. Salene looked over at Trudy.

"Was it just me, or was she looking for Dal not just because she was bleeding?" Salene said.

"It wasn't just you. I saw the way she smiled when he walked in," Trudy said. She started to laugh. "But something makes me think it's not just a one-sided affection."

"Me, too," Salene said. "It was cute to watch, though."

"Yeah. I just hope they both get a clue that they're into each other eventually," Trudy said. "Or we'll never see the end of it."

"True. So true," Salene said.

* * *

Tai-San woke up in her bed and looked around. Sasha was nowhere to be seen. She smiled to herself, remembering the words he had sung to her. _Maybe I can stand alone . . . Maybe I'm strong as stone . . . Even though the bird has flown . . . Maybe he'll fly on home._ She slid out of bed and walked, barefoot, toward the café. As she got closer, she could hear Sasha singing and playing his guitar. She peeked in the doorway to see him sitting on a table, with Trudy and Brady sitting nearby. Trudy was rocking Brady, trying to get her to go to sleep.

"_I said maybe . . . you're gonna be the one who saves me . . . and after all . . . you're my wonderwall,_" Sasha sang to the little girl.

"I think she's asleep now," Trudy said quietly. "Thanks, Sasha. That was great." She smiled at him appreciatively.

"No problem," he said, as Trudy walked off.

"Nice song," Tai-San said. He turned around to see her walking into the room. "That was sweet of you to sing Brady to sleep."

"Yeah . . . it always seems to work," Sasha responded, shrugging his shoulders. He put his guitar in the case and closed it.

"I was wondering, what was that song you were singing to me earlier?" she asked.

"You heard that?" he said, his voice cracking, and his face turning red. He'd thought she was asleep.

"Yeah, I heard it. What was it? It was really pretty," she said.

"_Maybe_ . . . it's an old country song my mother used to sing to me when I couldn't sleep. It always made me nod right off," he said.

"Oh," she said, nodding. She started walking over to him slowly, taking a few steps at a time. "Did I tell you? I'm thinking about staying on here a while. Taking a break from touring," he said, smiling slightly.

"That's great," she said.

"Yeah, I thought you would think so," he said quietly, looking down at his feet, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets.

"Oh," she said again. "Sasha?" He looked up at her again.

"Yes?" He smiled at her.

"I just wanted to say thank you. For being there for me the past couple of days. You've been a good friend," she said. She stood right in front of him now, touching his shoulder with her hand. He slid off the table, into a standing position.

"I'm glad I was able to help you," he said. They were almost nose-to-nose. "Tai-San?"

"Hmm?"

"About my tea leaves . . . how you said I'd settle down and find a home because of someone I love?" he said.

"What about it?" she asked.

"I think it's you, you know what I mean?" he answered.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," she said softly.

"And how your leaves said that you would find someone better for you than Lex?" he said. "I think I might know who that guy is."

"Who?" she whispered.

"Me," he said simply. He cupped his hands around her face and looked into her eyes for a moment. Then he kissed her tenderly. As she kissed him back, he slid his arms around her waist. Lex watched the scene from the doorway of the café, in frustration, before he turned and walked away quietly. He'd lost her forever now.

* * *

"We're back!" Bray called from downstairs. Salene and Trudy both jumped to their feet and ran downstairs, along with the rest of the tribe. Bray and Amber stood at the bottom of the stairs, smiling. Amber held Michael in her arms, and he was still asleep. Ryan and Troy stood behind them.

"You're okay!" Salene said, running to Ryan. He wrapped her up in his arms, hugging her. Trudy walked up to Bray and Amber.

"Trude, I'd like you to meet your nephew, Bray Michael," Bray said to her. She smiled at him.

"He's so little," she cooed, looking at the little boy in Amber's arms. "He looks just like you, Bray."

"Yes, he does," Amber said. "Lord, help us. He's going to be a ladies man someday, just like his daddy."

"I'm so proud of you," Dal said, giving Amber a squeeze and a peck on the cheek.

"If only my mom and dad could see me right now, see their grandson," Amber said.

"They can. And I'm sure they're both very proud," Dal said to her. He put his hand out to Bray. "Congratulations, Bray." They shook hands.

"I say this calls for a celebration," Lex said, smiling. "A double christening, perhaps?"

"Really?" Amber said. Lex nodded.

"We decided to put it off until tomorrow, so he can be in it, too. It was the least we could do," Zandra said, putting her arm around Lex's waist.

"You're the best, you know that?" Amber said to Zandra.

"I know. Just don't ever forget it, okay?" Zandra said, smiling. Sasha and Tai-San sauntered down the stairs, smiling.

"Sasha! Come see my son!" Amber called to him. Sasha walked over to her.

"I'm so happy for you," Sasha said. "And I mean it." He hugged her. Ebony walked over to Troy.

"You did a good thing, Troy," she said quietly to him.

"I know," he said, smiling. She took his hand in hers.

"I'm sorry about earlier," she said. "I didn't mean what I said." She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"It's okay, Ebony. Everything's going to be okay from now on," Troy said, squeezing her hand. "It's all going to be okay."

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . .**_


	9. Chunk 9: Sections 41 thru 45

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 9: Sections 41 thru 45**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Big thanks to my reviewers from the last chunk – Tribalranger and Amber12987! Thanks for the feedback guys – you're awesome!

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick. The song used in this section is "Again" by Lenny Kravitz.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 41 thru 45

* * *

The mall was complete chaos the next day, with everyone getting ready for the christening. The ceremony went smoothly. It was the party afterwards that would turn everything upside down, once again.

"Thanks, guys. You're a great audience, as always," Sasha said. "I'll be back in ten minutes with more music." He put his guitar down gently, as everyone clapped. He stood up and walked over to Tai-San, smiling.

"That was wonderful," she said softly, taking his hands in hers.

"Really? Did I sound okay?" he asked. She nodded. "I'll be right back. I need to go get the capo for my guitar out of my bag." She nodded, and he kissed her hand, making her smile. Then he walked off, as a jealous Lex watched. But Lex already had something up his sleeve. He was going to split those two up, no matter what it took.

Sasha rifled through his bag, finally finding the capo. He turned to leave, only to find Lex standing in the doorway, a fake smile plastered on his face. Lex strode confidently into the room.

"Hiya, pal," Lex said, putting his arm around Sasha's shoulders. Sasha shrugged it off, walking over to the mirror nearby.

"What do you want, Lex?" Sasha said in a monotone voice, straightening his shirt collar.

"Why would I want something from you? And what would make you think that?" Lex said, pretending to be offended.

"I know you, Lex. You're never nice unless you want something. And I've never been your biggest fan, and we both know that," Sasha replied. "What do you want from me?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to give you a bit of friendly advice. Is there anything wrong with that?" Lex said.

"Let me guess . . . you want me to stay away from Tai-San, right? Save it, Lex. It won't work. I won't be bullied by you," Sasha said, walking toward the door.

"Actually, it's about Amber," Lex said. Sasha stopped dead in his tracks, turning to face Lex.

"What about her?" Sasha questioned. Lex walked over to him.

"Zandra told me that Am's still hot for you, not Bray. She's just waiting for Bray to get adjusted to the baby being around, then she's going to dump him," Lex said knowingly.

"You are such a liar. If she doesn't love Bray, then why did she say yes when he proposed?" Sasha responded.

"Because she didn't want to hurt his feelings in front of all those people by saying no," Lex answered.

"And why should I believe you? You've never had a compassionate feeling in your whole life," Sasha said.

"If you don't believe me, then do something about it yourself. I have just the thing," Lex said. He smiled coyly, rubbing his hands together.

* * *

Amber looked at her son as he slept in Bray's arms. She couldn't imagine being any happier than she was right then. She had her son finally, and she was with his father, the boy she loved more than anything in the world. Only one thing left to make it complete. Bray looked over at her.

"Do you want to go put him in bed, or shall I?" he whispered to her.

"I'll do it," she said, taking him from Bray. She walked off toward the nursery that she and Zandra had put together. "Night-night, little one. Sweet dreams. Mommy and Daddy both love you very much." She kissed the baby on the forehead, then gently laid him on his back in the crib. She pulled the blanket up over him.

Smiling, she walked quietly out of the room and back to the café. She sat down next to Bray, as Sasha got ready to play again. Sasha smiled at her from across the room. She smiled back. It was nice that he'd been able to handle everything so maturely, her being with Bray, and not him, and her having a child, and the engagement. She was glad they had been able to remain friends, and she was glad he had hooked up with Tai-San. She'd be good for him, and Amber knew that.

"Hi, again, everyone," he said, smiling as they all clapped. "This next song is for a very special lady out in the audience, and she knows who she is. I hope you enjoy it." He started to sing.

_"I've been searching for you._

_I heard a cry within my soul._

_I've never had a yearning quite like this before,_

_Know that you are walking right through my door."_

Amber looked over at Tai-San, smiling. It was then she noticed the scowl on her face. Tai-San wasn't happy about this at all. Why? Amber looked up at Sasha. He wasn't looking at Tai-San, he was looking at her. Amber slid down in her seat in embarrassment as she realized the same thing Tai-San had. He was singing this song to Amber, not to Tai-San.

_"All of my life,_

_Where have you been?_

_I wonder if I'll ever see you again?_

_And if that day comes,_

_I know we could win._

_I wonder if I'll ever see you again?"_

Tai-San couldn't take anymore. She stood up and stomped out of the café, in tears. Sasha looked at Amber. She was turning red and sliding farther and farther down into her seat, while Bray was giving him a dirty look. He stopped playing, after seeing Tai-San run off. Lex sat in the corner, laughing. He knew then that he shouldn't have listened to Lex.

"I'm sorry, everyone. Sorry, Amber," he said, putting his palm on his forehead in frustration. He stood up and ran off after Tai-San.

* * *

"Tai-San! Wait!" Sasha called to her. She just kept walking, angrily, toward her room. "Tai-San, please, let me explain!" She got inside her room and pulled the gate down, locking him out. He ran up to it, putting his face against it. "Tai-San . . . I'm sorry. Please, open the gate and let me explain."

"What is there to explain? You lead me to believe that you had actually gotten over Amber and that you cared for me, then you go pull a stunt like this!" she exclaimed through the gate. "There is no possible reason you could have to excuse your actions!"

"It was Lex! He told me that Amber still had feelings for me, and he gave me the idea to sing the song to her!" Sasha said.

"Don't try to blame your own stupid mistakes on him! He would never do anything that mean to me!" she retorted. She walked away from the gate and started to light candles.

"It's the truth, Tai! Please! I'm sorry!" he said.

"Go away, Sasha! I never want to see you again!" she exclaimed.

"Well, that's going to be kind of hard, considering I plan to stay here for a while," he said. She stopped lighting her candles and blew out the match, walking back over to gate.

"Fine, then. I'll leave, so you don't have to," she said, her face expressionless.

"And if you leave, I will follow you," he said, smiling.

"You're making this really hard," she said.

"I know I am. Please, don't do this, Tai-San," he responded.

"I'll do whatever I please. Just leave me alone!" She walked off again, leaving him there. He sighed loudly and slid down the gate to the floor, sitting down. How in the world was he ever going to be able to fix things with her?

* * *

Amber sat in the nursery, rocking Michael back to sleep. He'd woken up from all the noise after the party, and she'd had to feed him again. She looked down to see he was asleep, smiling a little. She kissed him on the head and put him back in his crib. She turned around to see Bray standing there in the doorway.

"Please tell me you're not angry, too?" she said bitterly.

"Not really. You didn't see how hard Lex was laughing afterwards. Something tells me he had a hand in this," Bray said, as she walked over to him. She wrapped his arms around her.

"Why would he do something that cruel to Tai-San, though? They used to be married, remember?" Amber asked.

"Well, the only thing that's come to mind when I asked myself that, is the reality that Lex might just be a little bit jealous of Tai-San being with Sasha, and he tried to sabotage it," Bray responded.

"But that still makes no sense. He's got Zandra now, so why would he be jealous if Tai-San moved on with her life?" Amber said.

"Lex is the kind of person who wants to have his cake and eat it, too, Am. You should know that by now," Bray said. "Anyway, I saw Sasha outside Tai-San's room, pleading with her. He finally gave up a little while ago and went to his room. I can't help feeling bad for him. Whatever Lex did, not only did she get hurt, but so did Sasha. And I plan to find out exactly what Lex had to do with all of this." He kissed her on the forehead. Suddenly, Sasha came running into the room.

"Tai-San's gone . . . ," he blurted out.

* * *

"Excuse me?" Amber said. "Repeat what you just said?" She had a baffled look on her face.

"Tai-San's gone. I left her for fifteen minutes, and I came back, and she and all her stuff were gone," Sasha said, out of breath. "She left no note, told no one where she was going. And it's all my fault."

"Are you absolutely sure she's gone?" Bray asked.

"All her stuff was gone, along with her. I looked everywhere for her, honestly," Sasha said. "I'm worried. I know she can take care of herself, but while she may be physically stable, emotionally, she's very vulnerable. Dammit! I wish I hadn't listened to Lex! She would still be here right now if I hadn't have taken his stupid advice!" Sasha started to pace.

"Sasha, I'm sure wherever she is, she's fine. And we'll find her, I promise," Amber said soothingly to him. "And we'll get to the bottom of this, and Lex will pay for it."

"Not if I kill him first!" Sasha exclaimed, running out of the room. He ran toward Lex and Zandra's room, Amber and Bray following him. Lex was standing in front of the mirror, while Zandra was rocking Lexi to sleep. Sasha stormed into the room and grabbed Lex by the shirt collar.

"You! This is your fault!"

"Sasha, stop it!" Amber exclaimed.

"Get your hands off me, bloke!" Lex growled. "I didn't do anything!" He shoved Sasha.

"Tai-San's gone, Lex! And it's your fault!" Sasha yelled, shoving Lex back. Zandra stood up.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "Why has Tai-San left?"

"It was Lex's idea for me to sing that song to Amber. He told me that Amber still had feelings for me. But looking at it now, it's more than a little obvious that he was just trying to get me away from Tai-San!" Sasha said angrily. Zandra looked over at Lex, confused.

"What's he talking about? Why would you want to split him and Tai-San up?" Zandra asked Lex. Lex wouldn't look at her. "Lex? What are you not telling me?"

"He was married to Tai-San before you came back. He's jealous, that's all," Sasha said. "That's why he set me up. And that's why Tai-San's gone." Zandra's eyes filled with tears.

"Lex? Is this true?" she said, her voice barely a whisper. He gave no answer, and still wouldn't look at her. "It is, isn't it?" Lex walked over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off. "Why didn't you just tell me? I would have understood."

"No, you wouldn't have. You would have been mad at me and accused me of cheating on you," he said.

"In case you haven't noticed, Lex, I'm not the same Zandra I used to be. I would have understood. You thought I was dead. It's perfectly normal that you wanted to move on with your life, and there's nothing wrong with that," Zandra said.

"But you're not dead, and I chose to be with you over Tai-San," he said. "And it was just easier not to bring it up." Zandra looked over at Amber and Bray.

"She couldn't have gotten that far, could she?" Zandra asked, a concerned expression on her face.

"I doubt it. Sasha said he'd only left her by herself for about fifteen minutes. I doubt she's gotten far away. We still have time to find her and stop her," Bray responded.

"Well, let's get everyone together and form search parties, then go out and look for her," Amber said. "I'll go round the others up." She and Bray left the room. Lex looked over at Sasha.

"I'm sorry, mate. I had no idea Tai-San would react this way," Lex said. "Honestly, I never meant for it to go this far. I just wanted to split you up."

"Well, you picked a bad time. She was already vulnerable to begin with," Sasha said. "I just hope we find her, and that she's okay. And I'm going to make this up to her somehow. Even if it kills me." With that, he walked out of the room.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . .**_


	10. Chunk 10: Sections 46 thru 50

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 10: Sections 46 thru 50**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Big thanks to my reviewers from the last chunk – TribeFanatic, GreenBean, and Amber12987! Thanks for the feedback guys – you're awesome!

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 46 thru 50

* * *

"What is it, Amber? It's the middle of the night, for heaven's sake," Jack said, stumbling sleepily into the café along with the others.

"Tough. Look, guys, I know it's been a long day, and you're all tired, but someone's missing," she said. Instantly everyone became alert and awake.

"Who's missing?" Cloe asked.

"Tai-San has left. She packed all her stuff up and went. She's only been gone for about fifteen minutes or so, so she probably hasn't gotten that far," Bray said. "But we still have to find her. We can't risk her getting hurt or anything."

"But I thought things were better now, since the Chosen are gone," Patsy said.

"Not completely. There are still mean people out there, Patsy, and they won't hesitate to try to harm Tai-San, no matter how well she can take care of herself. Besides, she's one of us, and we always look out for each other," Amber said.

"Amber's right, we do look out for one another. What are we going to do, Amber?" Trudy said, holding a sleeping Brady.

"Well, I think we should form search parties and go outside and look for her around the city," Amber said. "Not everyone has to go, namely Salene, Trudy, Ellie, and Zandra. It's too dangerous, and we need someone to stay behind with the babies. And Ellie, you're still getting your strength back, so I wouldn't even think of asking you to go. But the rest of us will."

"So, once everyone is dressed and ready, we'll split up and look. Alice, you'll take Dal and Tzara, and search the train yard. Ebony, you take Troy, Patsy, KC, and Cloe, and search the fields and woods, since you guys know that area the best. Sasha, you, Lex, and Ryan search the metal yard and the hotel. Bray and I will search everywhere else. Jack, I want you to keep an eye on the security camera, and watch out for everyone else who's staying here."

"Why me? I know my way around the city better than most of you," Jack said.

"Because you know how to work the camera, and Ellie's your responsibility, anyway," Amber said. "And because I said so."

"Because I said so," Jack mimicked, rolling his eyes. Amber gave him a dirty look, and he shut up.

"Okay, everyone, get dressed, get your groups together, and head on out. Be back by sun up, with or without Tai-San. If you do find her, bring her back here immediately, dead or alive. Just bring her home," Amber said. "That's it, go get ready." Everyone filed out of the café, to their rooms to get dressed. Amber turned to Bray.

"You, come with me. I need to get a couple of torches and some bottles of water, then we can head out. Salene, can you watch Michael for us? He shouldn't wake up for another couple of hours, and if he does, just feed him his bottle and rock him back to sleep. Okay?" Salene nodded and headed off to the nursery. Amber took Bray's hand, and they left to go get the supplies they needed . . .

Tai-San sat down at the base of a large oak tree, putting her head between her knees. She started to sob. It was getting darker by the minute, and colder, too. What in the world made her think she could leave the Mall and make it on her own? She shivered, more from the fever she had, than from the cold air of the night. She looked at her hands. They were already starting to show signs of aging, from the virus. She was feeling tired and run down. She looked around her. There was lots of grass and trees, but not much else. It was as good a place as any to rest for the night. She pulled a blanket out of her bag and curled up on the ground, going to sleep quickly. Would the Mall Rats find her in time to give her the antidote? And would she even want to come back to the mall?

* * *

"We have to keep looking," Alice said to Dal and Tzara, as they searched through debris and the empty train cars on the tracks.

"Alice, we've looked everywhere, and there's still no sign of her at all. I think it's time we went back to the mall. Tai-San doesn't want to be found," Dal said in frustration.

"Dal, just keep looking. We're not going back until sunrise. Somebody's got to find her," Alice said. "You and Tzara check in the cars again, and I'll look through everything else." Dal nodded, rolling his eyes, and took Tzara by the hand, leading her toward the cars again.

Meanwhile, Amber and Bray weren't having much more luck themselves. They had searched all over the city and had even taken to knocking on doors at the other tribes' headquarters around the city. No one had seen her. They were walking back to the mall, about to give up, when they heard a scuffle behind them. They both turned around. No one was there. They started to walk again. Suddenly, two kids jumped out in front of them.

"Stop where you are!" one of them yelled. From what Amber and Bray could see in the shadows, it was a girl and a boy. They both were dirty and their clothes torn. "Do you have any food?"

"Not on us, but we do have water," Bray said, looking at Amber. He moved to take the bottles of water out of Amber's backpack, but she stopped him.

"Hand it over!" the girl ordered. Amber gave her a look of defiance.

"Don't you two have a tribe that you belong to?" Amber asked.

"No, and we don't want one, neither!" the girl exclaimed. Amber looked at the boy.

"We belong to a very peaceful tribe. We have plenty to share, if you and your friend would like to come with us," Amber said to him, smiling. "You'd be more than welcome."

"Do you have food and clean clothes and stuff?" he said quietly, moving a little closer to her.

"Yeah. We've got tons of food. You can eat your heart out if you want," Bray said, understanding what Amber was doing. The boy looked at the girl. He raised his eyebrows questioningly. The girl shook her head.

"Why not?" the boy asked. "I think it's about time we settled down somewhere, Sienna. This sounds like a good place." The girl looked at Amber and Bray again, looking them over carefully.

"Alright. We'll come with you. But just to see what it's like. We'll make a decision from there," the girl said. "By the way, my name's Sienna, and this is my older brother, Charlie."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Amber, and this is Bray," Amber said, smiling. They all shook hands. "Where we live is not far from here." They started to walk.

"So, what are you two doing out at this time of night? It's not very safe, you know," Sienna asked.

"One of the other members of our tribe ran away, and everyone's out looking for her. We didn't find her, but hopefully, some of the others did," Amber replied.

"Why'd she run away?" Charlie asked shyly.

"She had a fight with another member of the tribe, and was very upset by it, so she left," Amber answered.

"What is your tribe called?" Sienna asked.

"The Mall Rats," Bray said. Sienna nodded.

"I've heard the name before," she said. Amber and Bray continued to tell them about the tribe as they walked, and the sky started to brighten up a little.

* * *

"Tai-San!" Sasha yelled, as he, Ryan, and Lex walked back to the mall from the metal yard. "Tai-San, where are you?" The sun was starting to come up, it was getting a little warmer outside.

"Will you give up, Sasha? She can't hear you. And even if she did, she wouldn't come," Lex said grouchily. Sasha scowled at him.

"If I were you, I'd shut up. It's mostly your fault that she's run away to start with. Now keep looking," Sasha said bitterly. Lex set his mouth in a straight line and started to look around. Sasha looked over at Ryan.

"I wish you two would stop fighting," Ryan said. "It's not going to help bring Tai-San home."

"I know. I just can't stand him," Sasha said.

"Well, I'm not too fond of you either, Music Man," Lex retorted, getting up in Sasha's face. Ryan pushed them apart.

"Will you two cut it out? You've spent most of the night arguing, and very little searching. And it's both your faults that she's gone, so stop blaming each other. Can you at least put aside your differences until we find her?" Ryan said. They both looked at him and nodded guiltily. "Now look, okay?" They spread out as they walked home, looking around.

"Tai-San?" Sasha called out. Nearby, his voice woke Tai-San up from a troubled sleep. She sat up and gathered her things.

"I have to get out of here before they find me!" she said to herself. She stood up, putting her backpack on. Her body ached, and her hands were worse. She touched her face. She was getting worse, and her short black hair was white by that point. She started walking, slowly, trying to get away. She kept looking behind her as she ran. Suddenly, she fell into a large hole.

"Ahhh!"

Sasha stopped in his tracks, turning around.

"Did you hear that?" he said. Tai-San screamed again, as she looked around her. She had fallen into an old well, and her clothes were soaked. Lex and Ryan stopped, too, listening. Tai-San continued to shriek.

"Help me!" she yelled.

"That was her, alright!" Lex said. The three boys ran back into the woods, following the sound of her voice as she continued to cry for help. They finally found her, in the well.

"Don't worry, Tai! We're going to get you out!" Sasha said, as Lex bent over into the well, Ryan holding onto his feet.

"Go away! I don't want your help!" Tai-San said, swatting at Lex. "Leave me alone, Lex!"

"Do you want out of the well or not?" Lex asked her as he hung upside down. She stopped hitting him and nodded. "Well, then give me your hands!" She put her hands up, and he grabbed them. "Now, pull, Ryan!" It took both Ryan and Sasha pulling to get both Lex and Tai-San back up. The three boys sat on the ground, exhausted, afterward. Tai-San sat there, in shock. Lex's mouth fell open when he looked at her.

"Oh, my god," Ryan said, seeing her face and hands. Tai-San stood up to leave.

"Don't follow me. Any of you," she said angrily. She moved to walk away, when Sasha stood up and grabbed her hand.

"You've got the virus, Tai-San," he said. She looked at him, tears filling her eyes. "At least come back with us and take the antidote. Once you're well, you're free to leave, or do as you please."

"I'd rather die than go back to the mall with you," she responded, pulling her hand away.

"Tai-San, you're sick, and you're not thinking rationally. Just come back with us. I promise, once you're well, you can go if you want to. I won't stop you, and neither will anyone else," Sasha said.

"You promise?" she said, looking at each of them.

"I promise you," he said. Ryan and Lex nodded in agreement.

"Alright," she said. "I'll come with you." And with that, she collapsed, unconscious, into Sasha's arms. He picked her up, and they headed back to the mall.

* * *

Amber paced back and forth in the café, while Bray fed Michael. Salene sat quietly at one of the tables, hands on her belly. Everyone had returned except for Ryan, Lex, and Sasha. The rest of the tribe hoped that meant they had found her.

Charlie and Sienna, the two kids that Amber and Bray had brought back were eating voraciously, as though they hadn't had a decent meal in months. Amber took a good look at them. Sienna was a pretty little thing, tiny as she was. She had shoulder-length pink hair and chocolate brown eyes. Amber guessed her hair was blonde underneath the dye, since Charlie had blond hair. Charlie's hair had streaks of blue in it, and he had crystal clear blue eyes, and was as thin and malnourished as his sister, only taller. It was obvious he was the older of the two, as well as being the shy one. Sienna had no qualms about anything and had talked Bray and Amber's ears off the whole way home, while Charlie only spoke a few times, and had a very quiet voice. Jack walked silently into the café, dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep.

"No sign of them on the security camera?" Amber asked him. He looked over at her, dazed, and shook his head.

"I haven't seen anything, and Ellie and I have been taking turns keeping watch. She hasn't seen them either," Jack responded.

"I'm worried," Salene said. "What if they got captured? They knew they were supposed to be back by sunup, and it's almost 8 am, and they're still not back. It's not like Ryan or Lex to be that careless."

"Salene, you're just tired. I can't believe you stayed up all night in your condition," Bray said, smiling sympathetically. "Why don't you go get some sleep, and as soon as they return or we know something, we'll wake you up?"

"Alright. But as soon as they come back, come wake me up, you promise?" she said reluctantly. Bray nodded, putting Michael's empty bottle on the table. Salene walked out, as Bray burped his son.

"Everyone else is asleep," Jack said. "Why don't you two turn in, too? I mean . . . if they come back, I'll see it on the security camera, and I sound the alarm to wake you."

"I can't sleep, knowing my best friend is out there, possibly hurt or worse. I'm better off pacing, rather than keeping Bray awake tossing and turning," Amber said, pacing faster.

"Well, I'm going to go put Michael down for a nap," Bray said, standing up. He walked over to Amber. "Give Mommy kisses, Michael." Amber smiled and kissed her son on the head and gave Bray a quick peck on the cheek before he left the room. Charlie and Sienna followed him. Amber looked back over at Jack. "I'm going to make some hot cocoa. Do you want some?"

"Sure, that would be great. I need something to keep me awake, and chocolate always does the trick," he responded. Amber put some water on to boil and got out two mugs. Then she came and sat down across from Jack at the table.

"So, I bet you're glad Ellie's well again?" she said, attempting to smile and make conversation, though she was scared.

"Mm-hmm," he said, furrowing his brow. "She's acting a bit strange, though."

"How so?" Amber asked, getting up to take the kettle off the stove. She poured water into the two mugs and then put the hot cocoa mix in, stirring it.

"Well, she's normally really possessive anyway, but since Tzara got here, it's gotten worse. Anytime Tzara's even anywhere nearby, Ellie thinks I'm staring at her, making googly eyes. I don't know what's gotten into her. She knows I love her, so why is she so worried?" Jack said, as Amber set the mug of cocoa down in front of him.

"Well, have you told her lately that you love her?" Amber asked, blowing on her steaming cocoa.

"I tell her all the time, every day," Jack replied. "But it doesn't seem to make much of difference. She's got it set in her mind that Tzara's out to steal me or something. Or that I've got a thing for Tzara. I mean, sure, Tzara's really pretty, but so is Ellie. And I love Ellie. I just wish she'd get it through that thick skull of hers." He took a sip of cocoa, and it burned his tongue. Amber laughed as he fanned his mouth.

"I think maybe you need to sit down with her and talk about this, let her know she has nothing to worry about," she said, taking a sip of cocoa.

"I've tried. Either she avoids the subject, or she tells me she's not jealous. But then she go and get mad at me later for being near Tzara or something stupid like that," Jack said, shaking his head. "I swear, I'll never understand women."

"Hey, I am one, and I still don't understand it," Amber said. Jack laughed.

Suddenly the alarm bell began to ring. Amber and Jack looked at each other, then raced downstairs. Lex, Ryan, and Sasha stood at the foot of the stairs. And in Sasha's arms was a very ill and unconscious Tai-San.

"What happened?"

"She's got the virus," Sasha said simply. "The only way we could get her to come back to take the antidote was to promise that she could leave if she wanted to once she was well. Then she collapsed."

"She's soaking wet!" Amber exclaimed.

"She fell into an old well in the woods, and it took all three of us just to get her out," Ryan said. "Otherwise, she's okay. She just needs the antidote."

"Alright, Sasha, you take her to her room, and I'll go get Dal. Jack, you go round up everyone else," Amber said.

"But they're all asleep," Jack said, puzzled.

"Just do it!" Amber snapped. Jack scurried off, going to the different rooms and waking everyone up. Amber headed off toward Dal's room.

* * *

"Yeah, it's the virus," Dal said, taking the thermometer out of her mouth. They had changed her clothes, putting on some dry ones. She was sweaty, with a high fever, and delirious. She'd been calling out random names and words for almost ten minutes. "I'll go get the antidote. Everyone else is going to have to take it as well, since they've been exposed."

"What about the babies? And Salene? The antidote might hurt the twins," Amber asked.

"The babies aren't at risk, since they're too young to be contaminated. As for Salene . . . she doesn't have much choice. We'll just have to wait and see if it hurts the babies at all. But she'll be better off taking the antidote now. While the babies' immune systems will keep her from getting ill while she's still pregnant, there is a chance that once they are born, she could get it. The antidote will kill whatever traces she has of it in her body, and possibly inoculate the babies against it so they never will get it. I think it's a chance we need to take," Dal said, looking over at Ryan. "Is it okay with you? I mean, after all, she is your wife, and those kids are yours, too."

"It's fine. Do whatever you think is best. You know more about this than I do," Ryan said, shrugging his shoulders. He walked out of the room.

"I wonder what's eating him," Amber said, looking over at Sasha and Lex.

"I think he's just tired. We all are," Lex said. "I'm going to turn in. If there's any change, or she wakes up, come get me. I have some things I need to say to her."

"I should think you do. This is more your fault than Sasha's," Amber said.

"I know. And I plan to apologize profusely for it," Lex said. He leaned over and kissed Tai-San on the forehead, then left the room.

"I'll be back in a minute with the antidote. You guys, try to get her to sit up and be halfway coherent, so she'll swallow it," Dal said. Sasha and Amber sat down on either side of her, and pulled her up to a sitting position.

"Tai, wake up," Amber said, slapping her cheeks lightly. "Come on, girl. Time to take your medicine."

"Mmm . . . ," Tai-San groaned. "Leave me alone." Her eyelids fluttered a bit.

"Come on, Tai-San. We need you to wake up, just for minute, so you can take the antidote. Then you can go back to sleep," Amber said to her.

"Leave me alone!" Tai-San shouted, shoving Amber and Sasha off of her. She laid her head against the headboard of the bed, her eyes still closed. Amber and Sasha both stood up, startled.

"Where's Sasha? I want Sasha!" she called out in her delirium. Sasha sat down on the bed again.

"I'm right here, sweetie," he said, taking her hand in his. Tai-San cuddled under his arm, resting her head against his chest. This made Amber laugh slightly, from the startled look on his face.

"I guess her delirium has its benefits. She doesn't remember she's mad at you at all," Amber said.

"I guess so," he said smiling. Dal came back into the room, with a tray of vials that contained the antidote.

"Alright, first, get Tai-San to drink this," Dal said, handing a vial to Sasha.

"Come on, sweetie," Sasha coaxed her. She opened her mouth and drank the vial, swallowing the liquid down. Sasha handed the empty vial back to Dal.

"Now, each of you take a vial, and I'll take one," Dal instructed. Sasha grabbed a vial, as did Amber and Dal. "Alright. Bottom's up." They all three drank the antidote at once. Amber made a face.

"This tastes horrible," she said, putting the empty vial back on the tray.

"Yeah, but it might save your life, Amber," Dal said, taking Sasha's empty vial from him. "I want you to get everyone together in the café, so they can take the antidote as well." Amber nodded and left the room. Dal turned to Sasha. "Are you going to stay here?"

"Yeah. I'll stay with her," Sasha said. "We should probably take turns sitting with her, me, you, Lex, and Amber. That way we'll get some sleep and get to eat." Dal nodded.

"I'll be back in an hour or two to check on her," Dal said. Sasha nodded, and Dal vacated the room. Sasha held Tai-San close to him as she shivered from the fever.

"It's going to be alright, Tai-San," he said, stroking her hair gently. "You're going to get better, I know you will. You have to. We still have unfinished business to settle."

"Mmm . . ." She stirred in her sleep. "Sasha? Are you still here?"

"Right here, always," he said to her.

"Good . . . I love you, Sasha," she said sleepily. He kissed her on the head, growing sleepy himself. He settled down into the bed with her.

"I love you, too," he whispered, falling asleep with her in his arms.

* * *

**_That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Then, go check out the link to my new website in my profile – there's a picture archive, an awesome BB, and more to come! Toodles until later . . ._**


	11. Chunk 11: Sections 51 thru 55

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 11: Sections 51 thru 55**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Where are all my reviewers this time around? Not a single person reviewed the last section I posted! Please give me your thoughts this time around!

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick. The lyrics used in this chunk are from "I Wanna Be With You" by Mandy Moore.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 51 thru 55

* * *

"Alright, everyone, settle down!" Amber shouted over the noise in the café. They continued to talk, ignoring her. She put her fingers between her teeth and whistled loudly. Everyone stopped talking and stared at her. "Thank you! Now, I'm sure you're all wondering why I woke you up from much needed sleep, but there are several things we need to discuss. First of all, Tai-San is back, but very sick with the virus. We've given her the antidote, but the reality is, that in being around her, we've all been exposed to it and are at risk. So, everyone has to take the antidote as a precaution. That includes Ellie and Salene, and excludes the babies. Second, we have three new people in the Mall right now, and we need to vote on whether or not they can stay." Dal passed out vials of the antidote, and everybody took it, as they discussed the vote.

"But we can't vote without Tai-San here," Patsy said. "You've always said everyone should be here when we vote on stuff."

"It can't be helped, Patsy, and besides, I'm not even sure if Tai-San is going to want to stay here once she's well again. And with that in mind, her vote really wouldn't make a whole lot of difference," Amber said. "Now, everyone, you all know Sasha, and we love him to death, and he's practically a member of this tribe anyway, but it's not official. He came to me a couple of days ago, telling me that he wanted to join us and stay here permanently. His staying is going to be greatly dependent on whether or not Tai-San stays, but I think, if he decides to stay, we should at least have an answer ready for him. And, as you know, we found Sienna and Charlie last night. They don't have a tribe, and would also like to stay with us and become part of the tribe."

"Do we actually have enough food for those three and the two unborn children on the way?" Dal asked.

"I counted the food store yesterday, and we have more than enough for us and several more people," Trudy said quietly. "It's just a matter of space, finding a place for them to sleep and all."

"Well, Sasha is already rooming with KC and Dal. Charlie can have my room, since I'm already rooming with Bray anyway, and if Zandra doesn't mind, Sienna can take her old room," Amber replied.

"It's fine with me. I room with Lex now, anyway," Zandra said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Alright, then. Let's vote on it. All in favor of Sasha, Charlie, and Sienna staying here with us and becoming tribe members, raise your hand," Amber said. Everyone except the babies raised their hands. "Okay, it's unanimous. They can stay. Charlie, Sienna, you can come in now." She ushered them into the café. "Guys, this is Charlie, and his sister Sienna. I want you to be nice to them, and treat them like you would any other member of this Tribe. For the first couple of weeks, until they get the hang of things around here, they're going to need all our help, learning names, learning how we do things around here, and what our rules are. Okay?" Patsy and Cloe stood up, as everyone shuffled out of the café.

"Sienna, would you like to come with us? We need to get you some new clothes," Patsy said. Sienna nodded and walked over to them. Dal and KC walked over to Charlie, as the three girls walked out of the café.

"Hey, I'm KC, and this is Dal," KC said to him. Charlie nodded shyly. "Let's go get you set up in your new room and find you some clothes." KC put his arm around Dal.

"I have to pick up the vials and hide them again. I'll be in there in a few minutes, okay?" Dal said. KC and Charlie nodded and left the room. Dal walked from table to table, picking up the empty vials.

"Dal?" a quiet voice said. He spun around to see Tzara standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Tzara. What's up?" he asked, turning back to the tables again.

"Tai-San's going to be alright, isn't she?" she asked.

"She had the antidote, so she should be. Why?" he responded.

"No reason. She just seems really nice, and it would be a shame for her to die. I hate it when people die. It makes me sad, whether I knew them or not," she answered. Dal walked over to her, setting the tray down on a table.

"Don't worry. She's not going to die. Not any time soon, at least," Dal said. "How are your wrists feeling, by the way?" He took her hands in his.

"Better. They're starting to itch a little, though," she replied.

"That just means they're healing properly. That's good," he said, nodding. "Listen . . . I wasn't trying to bait you the other day. I've just learned through experience that it's better to be frank, rather than hiding things."

"But you already knew, so I wasn't hiding anything. You just wanted to hear me say it," she said.

"Well, saying it is confirming it. And I still want to know," he whispered, putting his arms around her waist. She looked at him pleadingly. "Come on, I want to hear you say it. Please?" He gave her the puppy dog eyes that he did so well.

"Oh, alright," she muttered. "I like you."

"What? I didn't quite hear that!" Dal said, putting a hand to his ear.

"I like you!" she shouted. Dal started laughing, as she turned red.

"That's much better," he said, pulling her to him. Then he gently kissed her on the lips.

* * *

Ryan came inside from the sewers, after checking outside for intruders, part of night guard duty. He rubbed his hands together, trying to warm them up. It was unusually cold outside tonight. He thought for a moment, then decided that he should probably tell Amber, so they could get extra blankets and such out. He stomped up the stairs, still rubbing his hands together. He knocked on the doorframe to Amber and Bray's room.

"Yes?" Amber called from inside. "Come in, Ryan." Ryan shyly stepped into the room. Amber lay in bed, reading, while Bray was fast asleep beside her.

"Hey," Ryan said, not looking up.

"What's up, Ryan?" Amber asked.

"Well, I just came in from outside, and it's really getting cold out there. I thought you might want to know. Just, so, you can get everyone extra blankets and that sort of thing," Ryan replied.

"It is getting a little chilly in here," Amber admitted. "It's so odd, the weather outside. It rarely gets cold in these parts. But I agree, we do need to get extra blankets and such for everyone, and maybe see if we can get the heater in this place to work. Go get Lex, Dal, and Jack, and I'll be down in a few minutes." She slid out of bed as Ryan walked out of the room. She walked over to the dresser nearby and pulled out a thick, blue wool sweater and a pair of black trousers. She quickly dressed and pulled her boots on, then ran downstairs to the boiler room.

* * *

"Hey, Sasha," Lex said, coming into the room with a couple of blankets. Sasha looked up from the game boy, smiling a little.

"Hey, Lex. Is there something I can do for you?" Sasha responded.

"Nah. I'm just bringing you and Tai-San a little extra warmth. It's getting really cold outside," Lex said, holding the blankets up. He walked over to Tai-San and unfolded one of the blankets, laying it over her. Then he handed the other one to Sasha. He turned to walk out of the room, then stopped and turned back to Sasha again.

"Anything else?" Sasha asked, not looking up from the game boy.

"Yeah. I was just wondering . . . how is she doing? Has she shown any signs that the antidote is working?" Lex answered. Sasha put down the game boy and stood up, walking over to her.

"Her fever broke a little while ago, so she's past the worst of it. I think, in a couple more days, she'll be okay," Sasha said, smoothing her hair back.

"Good," Lex said, nodding and smiling. "I'm going to go now. I've got to get blankets to everyone else, then go check on Lexi." He turned and walked out of the room. Sasha sat down beside Tai-San on the bed again. He wrapped the blanket around her snugly. She started to stir again.

"Mmm . . . . mmm-mmm . . . ," she groaned. She reached up and scratched her face, slowly opening her eyes. Sasha grinned. "Where am I?" She looked around her, her expression turning to a frown when she saw Sasha.

"We found you in the forest. You had fallen into a well, and you had the virus. We got you out, brought you back, then gave you the antidote," Sasha answered.

"And I came back willingly?" Tai-San asked bitterly. "Or did you knock me out and drag me back?"

"Heaven's no!" Sasha said, laughing. "The only way we could get you to come back and take the antidote was to promise you that if you wanted to, you could leave again once you got better."

"Oh . . . ," Tai-San said, rubbing her head. "Everything's kind of been a fog to me the last few days."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Sasha said.

"But don't think I'm not still mad at you. I am. In fact, I'm furious with you," she said. "So, if you wouldn't mind, please get out of my room. I'm okay now, and I don't want to see you." Sasha's heart sank with her words. Obviously she didn't remember what she had said to him earlier in her delirium. He stood up.

"Alright. If that's the way you want it . . . I'll go get Dal. He'll want to check you out and make sure everything's okay. And Lex will want to talk to you. He's been waiting for you to wake up so he could apologize for you," Sasha said.

"And you?" she asked.

"I've already apologized a thousand times to you. Obviously, you're never going to forgive me, so I'm going to stop trying. It's a waste of energy," he said in a monotone voice. He turned on his heel and walked out of the room, forlornly. Tai-San sighed, leaning her head back against the headboard of her bed. She wanted to forgive him, but her heart wouldn't let her. She just couldn't do it. She couldn't . . .

* * *

The next morning, Cloe woke up in the nice, cozy mall, in her warm bed. She pulled the blankets up around her as she sat up in bed. She looked around the room. Patsy and Tzara were still fast asleep. She slid out of bed, putting her feet on the cold wood floor. She hurriedly got dressed, as it was chilly despite the fact that the heater was on. She pulled a thick sweater over her head and a pair of thick wind pants, along with her boots. She quietly walked out of the room and headed to the café. She found KC and Dal sitting in the café already, each sipping mugs of cocoa.

"Morning, guys!" she said cheerily, walking over to the stove. A pan of hot water sat on the stove, and she made herself some cocoa and grabbed a bowl of dry cereal. She sat down at the table with Dal and KC and started to eat.

"Cloe, go look out the window and tell me what you see," KC said, smiling.

"What?" Cloe asked, her mouth full of cereal. "Why do you want me to look out the window? We all know what's out there."

"Just do it. I think you might see something a little different," KC responded. Cloe sighed, putting down her spoon. She stood up and walked over the window, peering outside. Her eyes widened when she saw that everything was covered in white. It had snowed the night before!

"SNOW!!!" Cloe exclaimed. KC and Dal both started laughing. "Did you see it? Oh my gosh! It snowed!"

"We know goofy-head. That's why we told you to look," Dal said, chuckling.

"Does everyone else know?" Cloe asked, still staring out the window in awe. It wasn't just a little bit of snow. It was inches of it, piled up all over the place, blocking the streets off and shutting off the entrances to some of the buildings, and there was still more snow falling down.

"What's with all the racket?" Patsy asked, stumbling into the room in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes.

"It's snowing, Patsy!" Cloe said. Instantly, Patsy was awake, as she ran over to the window and looked out.

"Wow!" Patsy said softly. "It hasn't snowed like this since I was little!" KC got up and walked over to them, putting his arms around Cloe's waist. He rested his head on her shoulder.

"I vote we go outside in a little while and make snow angels. What do you two think?" KC asked. Cloe and Patsy both nodded, smiling.

"I'm going to go get dressed," Patsy said excitedly, running back to her room. Dal stood up, putting his mug in the sink.

"I'm going to go get Amber and tell her about this," Dal said. He walked out of the room solemnly.

"Doesn't he ever smile anymore?" Cloe asked, turning to face KC.

"Very rarely. But I'm not sure why," KC said. "Come on, Cloe. Let's go outside!"

"But what about Patsy?" Cloe asked.

"She's going to take forever to get dressed! You know that!" KC said. "She can come out when she's ready!" He took her by the hand and drug her outside. They made food prints in the snow as they walked out into the field. Suddenly, Cloe fell backwards into the snow and started waving her arms up and down and her legs in and out. KC did likewise.

"Finished!" Cloe exclaimed, rolling over. She looked at her perfect snow angel, smiling. KC stood up, walking over and sitting down beside Cloe. "Good job, KC. Yours looks awesome." He stared at her, mesmerized. She had snowflakes in her brown hair and her eyelashes. It was the prettiest he'd ever seen her look. He leaned forward.

"You look awesome," he said quietly. He kissed her gently on the lips. She responded by pushing him back in the snow, continuing to kiss him. About that time, Patsy walked outside about that time and saw them. Her heart sank as she watched them. Disgusted, she walked back into the mall.

"I guess that's the end of the Three Musketeers," she said to herself. She walked back upstairs to the empty café and sat down by herself.

* * *

A couple of days later, Amber walked into Tai-San's room, where Tai-San sat on the floor, meditating. Amber stood there for a moment, looking at her. Her complexion had improved since she'd come to the night before, and her hair was starting to lose the gray streaks, turning back to a rich black.

"Is there something you want, Amber?" Tai-San asked, her eyes still closed. Amber jumped, startled.

"How did you know I was standing here?" Amber asked, laughing. Tai-San opened her eyes and stood up.

"I heard your footsteps," Tai-San said. "Everyone's footsteps sound different from each other. That's how I know who's come into my room when I'm meditating."

"I always thought you knew because you were psychic or something," Amber said. Tai-San sat down in a nearby chair.

"Is there some reason that you're in here?" Tai-San asked, not trying to be the slightest bit friendly.

"Well, I was wondering . . . I know you're planning on leaving, but I wanted to know how soon?" Amber responded.

"Within the next couple of days probably, once the snow and ice melt," Tai-San replied.

"Well . . . would you mind staying for another couple of weeks or so? Just for the wedding? Please? I really want you here, and I want you to perform the ceremony," Amber said.

"Trudy knows how to do the ceremony, ask her. I really don't want to be here any longer than I have to," Tai-San said, standing up and lighting a nearby candle. She blew out the match, and the scent of juniper filled the room. She looked over at Amber.

"Tai-San, I know you're mad at Sasha . . . ," Amber began.

"And Lex. He was in on it, too," Tai-San retorted.

"Yes . . . but I didn't do anything. Please don't punish me for their stupid mistake," Amber said. "I don't want Trudy to do the ceremony. I want you to do it. You're one of my best friends, and the wedding just wouldn't be right without you here. Please, do this for me, and then you can leave." Amber looked at her pleadingly.

"Alright, but I'm leaving right after the celebration party is over," Tai-San agreed. Amber smiled and walked over to her, hugging her.

"Thank you, Tai. You're the best," Amber said.

"You're not the first to tell me that," Tai-San said. "But thanks." She smiled.

"And I think you should give Sasha a second chance. He really cares about you. He didn't leave your side once the entire time you were sick. He deserves a chance to make it up to you," Amber said. Tai-San's smile faded.

"When hell freezes over, maybe I'll consider it," Tai-San said.

"Well, in case you haven't looked outside, it already has, Tai. And Sasha won't wait forever for you, I can tell you that," Amber responded.

"And I don't want him to. I don't want to give him another chance, so he needs to give up," Tai-San said. Amber sighed loudly in frustration. There was no way she was going to convince Tai-San to change her mind, and she could see that.

"Well, I'm going to go check on Michael. Bray's outside with the kids, so it's my turn to watch him," Amber said.

"I'm going to head out to the pond nearby and do a little ice skating, okay?" Tai-San said.

"Alright. Bray and the others are already out there," Amber said. Tai-San nodded. Amber left the room, and Tai-San pulled her ice skates out from underneath her bed. Throwing them on her shoulder, she grabbed her coat and gloves and headed outside.

The pond was about a mile's walk away, and when she got there, she found the others skating, or actually, attempting to. KC stood up, holding onto Cloe, then they both fell down, laughing. Bray was holding onto Patsy's hand, spinning her around the ice. Jack had set up a boom box, so there was music playing. Ebony and Troy were holding on to each others hands and spinning wildly in a circle. Sasha sat on a nearby bench, looking sad. Tai-San walked over to the bench and sat down beside him, putting her skates on, as Amber's words echoed through her head. _"Well, in case you haven't looked outside, it already has, Tai. And Sasha won't wait forever for you, I can tell you that."_ Tai-San glanced over at him.

"Hi," Sasha said quietly, looking down at his feet.

"I'm still not speaking to you, no matter what Lex said," Tai-San replied. She laced her skates up so that they were nice and tight.

"I've said I'm sorry, and it wasn't my idea," he said. _"He really cares about you. He didn't leave your side once the entire time you were sick,"_ she heard Amber's voice say again. She shoved it out of her mind, knowing what she had to do.

"But you didn't have to go along with his idea. You've got a mind of your own. Or at least, I thought you did," Tai-San said. Her words stung with a ring of truth. She switched the CD in the boom box. She stood up and walked out onto the pond. She started to skate the outer rim of it, warming up. The song began, and Tai-San stopped in the center of the ice. She started to skate with the music, moving her hands gracefully.

_"I try but I can't seem to get myself to think of anything of but you . . .Your breath, your warm gentle kiss I taste . . . I taste the truth . . . We know what I came here for . . . So I won't ask for more._ Tai-San did several spins in a row, and suddenly, everyone was watching her, as she glided across the ice. Sasha stood up, in shock, watching her.

_"So I'll hold you tonight like I would if you were mine to hold you forever more . . . And I'll savor each touch that I wanted so much to feel before, to feel before . . . How beautiful it is . . . just to be like this . . . I wanna be with you . . . If only for one night . . . To be the one who's in your arms, to hold you tight . . . I wanna be with you . . . There's nothing more to say . . . There's nothing else I want more than to feel this way. I wanna be with you."_ Tai-San did a triple axle, sending gasps rippling across the group. Sasha just smiled. She was speaking to him, and he knew it. She'd forgiven him.

_"Oh, baby . . . I can't fight this feeling anymore . . . Drives me crazy when I try to . . . So call my name, and take my hand . . . Can you make my wish, baby, your command? Yeah . . ."_ Everyone clapped as she spun, her hands moving upward. She skated backward around the rim of the ice again, about to do another jump. She flew into a triple sow-cow, then a double toe-loop. As the song ended, she slid to a stop on her knees in the middle of the pond. Everyone clapped and cheered. She stood up and skated over to them. Tears filled her eyes as Sasha embraced her.

"Tai-San, I had no idea you could skate like that!" Ebony said, smiling. But Tai-San didn't hear her. She was too busy kissing Sasha to notice.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . . **_


	12. Chunk 12: Sections 56 thru 60

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 12: Sections 56 thru 60**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Okay - I've given you guys TWO chunks today instead of one, since I went a couple of weeks without updating. I expect some reviews in return, okay?

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick. The lyrics used in this chunk are from "This Used To Be My Playground" by Madonna.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 56 thru 60

* * *

"This used to be my playground, used to be. This used to be my childhood dream. This used be the place I ran to, whenever I was in need," Amber sang to Michael, rocking him to sleep. Bray stood in the doorway watching them. He'd never realized she had such a beautiful voice. She could have easily gone on tour with Sasha when he'd offered before, but instead, she had chosen to stay at the mall with Bray and the others. Smiling, Bray realized how lucky he was that she'd done that, and how fate had a funny way of stepping into things. It made him all the more convinced that he was meant to be with her forever.

Amber put Michael in his crib and pulled the blankets over him, tucking him in with his teddy bear. She kissed her fingertips and touched his forehead with them. She slowly turned around and looked at her feet bashfully when she saw Bray standing in the doorway.

"You have an incredible voice," he said quietly, walking over to her. He put his arms around her waist, kissing her on the forehead.

"Thanks," she said modestly. She stood up on tiptoe, kissing him lightly on the lips. "I'm going to bed."

"Is that an invitation?" he asked, grinning.

"Maybe. If you can manage to keep me awake long enough. I'm exhausted," she said, yawning. She had dark circles under her eyes.

"Come here, you," he said gently, picking her up. Cradling her in his arms, he carried her upstairs. By the time he reached their room, she was asleep with her head on his shoulder. So, he just put her in bed, after taking her shoes off, and covered her up with a blanket. He kissed her gently on the lips. Then he quietly crept out of the room and down to the café.

* * *

"Hey, Jack," Tzara said, as she walked into the hardware shop. He was on the computer researching again, but mostly just trying to avoid Ellie.

"What do you want?" he asked grouchily. He took a sip of coffee.

"Geez . . . no need to bite my head off, Jack," Tzara said quietly.

"Sorry," he responded, turning red. He turned to face her. "What can I do for you, Tzara?"

"Um . . . well, I was going to ask Amber about it, but she's already asleep, so I thought I'd ask you, since you're the next person who knows Dal the best," she said shyly.

"So, what do you want to know about him? If he snores when he sleeps, because I can testify to that one," Jack said, grinning.

"No . . . but his birthday is coming up, and I wanted to do something special for him. Since he's done so much for me and all, and because I care about him so much. Do you have any suggestions?" she asked quietly.

"Hmm . . . well, if he were still working at the farm regularly, I'd say get him some equipment, but that's not really very romantic, is it?" he said. Tzara shook her head. "Well . . . you're his girlfriend now, right?"

"That I am, and happily, I might add," she answered.

"Well . . . Dal's never had a girlfriend before, so he's never had any of that romantic stuff done for him before. Like candle-lit dinners and picnics and stuff. I'd say try that," Jack said. Tzara smiled.

"Okay . . . I think I'll try that," she said. "Thanks, Jack." She gave him a quick hug and walked out of the room. A few seconds later, Ellie walked into the room.

"I was looking everywhere for you," Ellie said quietly.

"Well, I was in here the whole time, Ell," he said, not looking at her. He started to type on the computer again.

"What did Tzara want?" Ellie asked, trying to feign innocence.

"She wanted to know if I had any ideas about what she could do for Dal for his birthday, that's all," Jack said.

"Are you sure?" Ellie asked suspiciously. Jack spun around angrily to face her.

"Yes, that was all, Ellie! All that has ever been between Tzara and I is friendship! That's it! I don't know why you're so paranoid about it, but I can't take it anymore!" he screamed at her in frustration. Ellie backed up against the wall as Jack took a swing at some of the stuff on the counter, knocking it all to the floor.

"What are you saying, Jack?" Ellie said softly, frightened by his sudden outburst.

"That's just it, Ellie. It's over. I can't do this anymore." He walked out of the room silently. Ellie crumpled to the ground, crying.

* * *

Bray heard Michael crying from where he sat in the café. He waited a moment, thinking the baby's crying would wake Amber up, and she would attend to him. But Michael continued to cry, his screams getting louder. Bray finally stood up and walked to the nursery, Michael's cries quieting down. He found Zandra in the nursery, holding Michael.

"Shhh . . . it's okay, sweetie. Auntie Zandra's here. Mommy needs her sleep. She's very ill," Zandra said, jiggling the little boy in her arms a little. She kissed him on the top of his head.

"Amber's just fine. She's not sick," Bray said, coming into the room. He took Michael from Zandra's arms. "Thanks for tending to him. I don't know why Amber didn't wake up with him screaming as loudly as he was."

"Amber is sick, Bray. She may hide it very well, but she is ill. She's been sick since the last couple of months she was pregnant with him," Zandra said quietly. "I'm worried about Amber, Bray. She gets more and more exhausted with each passing day, and I'm the only one that seems to notice it, because I've seen the symptoms before."

"Symptoms of what?" Bray asked, confused. He laid Michael down in his crib again, sound asleep.

"The last two months before she gave birth to Michael, she became very exhausted. It was hard for her to even get out of bed in the mornings. She started to lose weight, a little at a time, which isn't normal for a pregnant woman, and she was using the restroom a lot and constantly drinking fluids, yet still always thirsty. After she gave birth, we thought it would go away, but it didn't. About a month later, it was worse than before, and she collapsed, so Troy sent for a doctor. I know, what can a teenage doctor with no degree do? That's probably what you're thinking. But this doctor specialized in chemistry and such, and he did a few blood tests," she said.

"And what did he find?" Bray asked, suddenly feeling nervous.

"She's got diabetes. It was brought on mostly by the pregnancy, and in most cases of motherhood diabetes that develop during pregnancy, it goes away after the child is born. But Amber's didn't. So the doctor proposed that it might have been lying dormant in her system all along, waiting for something to set it loose. And being pregnant with Michael did that. She can control it with diet, which is what she has been doing, but every so often, she gets run-down and physically exhausted and grows sick for a few days. And I think that's what's happening. She's showing all the signs of it. She's been losing weight again, drinking fluids constantly, and everything else. If you know what to look for, you'll see it," Zandra said.

"Bray, I think she needs a break. Running the tribe, along with taking care of Michael and planning for a wedding is getting to be too much for her. She's not getting enough sleep, which even with her eating right, still affects her. She's constantly on the go, never stopping for breath. I've tried talking to her about it, but it doesn't do any good. She won't listen to me. She thinks that she has to keep going because there's no one else to take charge, simply because that's what you guys told her."

"But it doesn't have to be all on her shoulders now. Ebony's got Troy covered on her own, and Lex and I can help her run things, as well as me and everyone else helping with Michael. And she's got you, Tai-San, and Dal to help with the wedding. She knows that," Bray said.

"I know she does, but she doesn't want to let you and the others down. The only way she's going to listen is if someone tells her it's alright to let off her load a little bit. She needs some rest, or she's going to end up really sick again," Zandra said. "And the only person she'll listen to is you. That's why I'm telling you about it."

"Alright. I'll try talking to her in the morning, but I can't make any guarantees that it will make any difference. You know how pigheaded she can be," Bray said.

"Yes, I know. But I also know how much she loves you, the baby, and everyone else. She wants to see Michael grow up, and see the little ones go off on their own, and to grow old with you. She knows she has to take care of herself to be able to do that. She just needs to know that it's okay that she takes better care of herself rather than the others from now on," Zandra said. Bray nodded. "I'm going to go back to bed. Amber and I are working on her dress tomorrow, so I need some sleep. Night, Bray."

"Night, Zan. And thanks for telling me," Bray said.

"No problem," Zandra said, smiling sympathetically at him. She walked quietly out of the room as Bray sat down in the rocking chair to think.

* * *

Patsy sat glumly on the stairs, staring off into space. It didn't seem fair, Cloe being the first to have a boyfriend. It wasn't so much that it was KC, because Patsy had never fancied him at all, it was just that she felt left out and left behind. Now they were always kissing, or cuddling, or making googly eyes at each other, and didn't want to do anything else. Patsy had never felt so alone in her life. She felt someone sit down beside her, but didn't bother to look over at them. She was too caught up in thinking to say hello.

"You okay?" a quiet, deep voice asked. She looked up to see Charlie sitting next to her, smiling shyly. He looked much better now, since he'd taken a bath and gotten new clothes. He wore a long-sleeved, white button-up shirt, a pair of electric blue trousers, and a neon orange vest. Patsy had to admit, he was rather cute.

"Oh . . . hi . . . yeah, I'm fine," Patsy replied. She sighed loudly.

"You don't seem like you're fine. I've been here a week, and I've yet to see you smile. All you ever do is frown and sigh in frustration. Why?" he asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it, if that's okay," she said softly.

"Alright. That's fine. If you ever want to talk, though, I'm here. Anyway, I'll just sit here with you then, if you don't mind," he said. He looked straight ahead. They sat silently for a few moments.

"I hate feeling this way!" Patsy suddenly exclaimed, turning to him.

"Hate feeling what way?" he said, laughing slightly at her sudden outburst.

"I hate feeling so alone!" she said.

"Why do you feel alone? You're surrounded by people who love you. How could you possibly feel alone?" he responded. Patsy looked away from him again, tears filling her eyes.

"Them . . . Cloe and KC are supposed to be my best friends, but now that they're a thing, they're leaving me out completely. We used to be the Three Musketeers. I hate it, and I hate them for falling for each other," Patsy said bitterly, pointing at KC and Cloe, who had just come in from outside. They were taking off their coats, and KC was laughing at Cloe as she fumbled with a stuck zipper.

"Now, that's not true. I know you don't hate them. And it's not their faults for feeling as they do. I do agree, it's not fair of them to make you feel left out, but they're probably not even aware that they're doing it, Patsy," he said. "And they're not your only friends."

"No, they're just my best friends. Or they were, anyway," Patsy said, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Have you tried talking to them about it?" he asked.

"Yeah . . . and they say they'll try to include me more, but they never do, because they forget," Patsy said, looking down at her hands.

"Well, then I say it's their loss," Charlie said. "Come here." He put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him, as she continued to cry. "It'll be okay." He inhaled her fragrance. She smelled of vanilla and cinnamon. Her hair was soft and warm against his cheek, he could feel her shaking as she sobbed. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful, perfect girl he'd ever met in his entire life. He just hated seeing her so upset.

"It's n-not going to b-be okay," she said, stuttering as she wept. "Things wh-will n-never b-be the s-same again."

"Patsy, life's full of changes. You can't expect everything to always be the same. Nothing ever stays the same. You should know that," Charlie said. "You're growing up. Everyone is. Like it or not, we're all going to be adults someday."

"I know. It just hurts," she said. He put a finger under her chin and tilted her head up so he could look into her eyes.

"Well, I'll be your best friend from now on. How does that sound?" he said.

"Good, I guess," she replied, sniffling.

"And I won't ever let you down or leave you out, I promise," he said. "Now, I want you to stop that crying and come upstairs with me. Sienna needs some help moving the furniture around in her room." Patsy wiped her eyes.

"Alright. I'll be up in a second," she said. Charlie nodded, patting her on the back lightly. He stood up and walked upstairs, leaving Patsy be herself again. She dried her eyes off, then went to the café and got a napkin. She blew her nose, then walked off toward Sienna's room.

* * *

Salene sat up in bed, rubbing her tummy. She'd felt a sharp pain in her back, and it had woken her up. She felt it again, only worse, and cried out in pain. Her scream woke up Ryan, who lay asleep beside her.

"What is it?!" Ryan exclaimed, suddenly very alert as his wife was panting in pain.

"Go . . . get Dal!" she said.

"Has it started?" Ryan asked. Salene nodded, continuing to breath short, sharp breaths. Ryan scrambled out of bed and ran into Dal, KC, and Sasha's bedroom. Dal was fast asleep. "Dal? Wake up!" Ryan shook Dal hard.

"Mmm . . . what?" Dal asked groggily, opening his eyes.

"Salene's in labor! She needs your help!" Ryan said. "Come on!" Dal sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes.

"What did you say again, Ryan?" he said, yawning.

"Salene's in labor you idiot! You've got to help her!" Ryan yelled. Instantly, Dal was awake, along with Sasha and KC.

"Dude, what's going on?" Sasha asked, as Ryan hurried out of the room. He watched Dal scramble, trying to get dressed and get the stuff he needed together.

"Salene's having the twins! Sasha, can you go wake Amber and Bray? And Trudy too? I'm going to need their help!" Dal said. He pulled his boots on and grabbed his supplies and ran out of the room. Sasha shook his head, laughing. What a fuss was being made over two little babies. He got up and walked upstairs to Bray and Amber's room. Salene's screams of pain could be heard all over the mall, and he found Bray to be awake already.

"What's going on down there?" Bray said, coming out of the room fully dressed.

"Salene's having the twins. Dal sent me to fetch you, Amber, and Trudy," Sasha replied.

"Amber's been really tired lately. She needs her sleep. You go get Trudy, and I'll get Zandra. She's the only other one that knows what to do. Tell everyone else to go back to sleep, or if they can't, to stay calm and stay out of the way," Bray said. He walked downstairs, as Sasha trudged off to Trudy's room. A few hours later, Trudy held one of Salene's legs up, while Zandra held the other, as Dal sat like Johnny Bench, waiting for the time when Salene could push. Ryan sat beside Salene, holding her hand and helping her to breathe. Bray was in and out bringing supplies for Dal and water for Salene.

"Alright, Salene, I'm going to need you to push. Can you do that for me?" Dal said, getting in position to catch the first baby when it came out. "Bray, I'm going to need those blankets and towels now." Bray nodded and walked out of the room again. "Salene . . . one . . . two . . . three . . . push!" Salene leaned forward and pushed with all her might, holding tightly onto Ryan's hand.

"AHH!" Salene screamed in pain.

"Alright, Salene, you can rest for a moment. Take deep breaths. You're doing very good! I can see the first baby's head!" Dal said.

"Did you hear that, sweetie? He can see the baby's head!" Ryan said excitedly, as Salene leaned her head against his shoulder. Bray came back into the room with towels and blankets, along with Amber, who had just woken up an hour before, carrying a tub of water to wash the babies off with.

"Salene, I need you to push one more time, and then the first baby will be out, and you can rest for a while," Dal instructed. "One . . . two . . . three . . . push!" Salene leaned forward again, bearing down in pain. The first baby slid out, and Dal caught it, handing it to Amber.

"Congratulations, Sal and Ryan! It's a girl!" Amber said, starting to clean the baby girl off.

"We have a little girl?" Salene said, starting to cry. Ryan hugged her, overjoyed. Then Salene started to pant and moan in pain again.

"Here comes her brother or sister!" Dal said. "Alright, Salene, time to push again! One . . . two . . . three . . . push!" Salene pushed one last time, and the second baby came out. Dal handed it to Bray, and Bray and Amber switched babies, Amber cleaning off the new one, and Bray taking the first one over to Salene and Ryan.

"The second one's a boy!" Amber yelled over the crying of the babies. Bray handed Salene the little girl.

"Hi, little one," Salene said, stroking her newborn daughter's cheek. "Isn't she beautiful, Ryan?"

"Looks just like you, so, yeah, she's beautiful," Ryan said proudly. "I love you so much, Salene." He gave her a kiss.

"I love you, too. What are we going to name her?" Salene asked him. Suddenly, Amber walked over, carrying the other baby.

"Here's her little brother," Amber said, handing the baby boy to Ryan. Ryan held the little boy carefully, afraid he might hurt him. "Congratulations!"

"So, what are we going to name them, Ryan?" Salene asked, looking at her husband. Ryan looked at his son, smiling.

"Well, I think we should name him Jakob. How does that sound?" Ryan replied.

"I like that," Salene said, nodding. "And how about the name Kina for this little one?" Ryan nodded.

"Welcome to the Mall Rats, Kina and Jakob!" Dal said, standing up. He walked over to the sink nearby and washed his hands off. Later on, everyone filed in quietly to see the new additions to the Tribe.

"They're so cute!" Cloe said.

"What did you decide to name them?" KC asked, putting his arms around Cloe's waist.

"Kina and Jakob," Ryan said proudly, holding his daughter.

"Well, they're certainly going to be a handful, with the other three babies we have around here," Amber said. "But the more the merrier!" She smiled, holding Bray's hand. Salene smiled, crying tears of joy. "Okay, guys. I think the new Mom and Dad need a little alone time with their kids. Let's go eat breakfast." Amber shooed everyone out of the room. "If you guys need anything, just yell. We'll be right upstairs." They nodded, and she walked out of the room. Ryan laid a sleeping Kina down in her cot, and walked back over to Salene, who was nursing Jakob.

"Hi, Mommy," he said.

"Hi, Daddy," Salene responded, looking up at him. He sat down beside her, putting his arm around her. Salene put her head on his shoulder, as Jakob and she both fell asleep. Ryan had never been happier in his entire life.**_

* * *

_**

**_That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . . _**


	13. Chunk 13: Sections 61 thru 65

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 13: Sections 61 thru 65**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 61 thru 65

* * *

Sienna watched enviously as KC fed Cloe a piece of bread. She narrowed her eyes, sighing loudly. KC was really sweet and cute. And he was with the wrong girl. Charlie sat down beside her.

"Sie . . . earth to Sienna. Come in, please, little sister!" Charlie waved his hand in front of her face. She snapped out of her trance.

"Huh?" she said, looking over at him, with a dazed expression on her face.

"What's eating you?" Charlie asked, biting into the apple he'd grabbed from the food store. "You've been really out of it the past couple of days."

"I have not. You're the one that's been otherwise preoccupied, not me," she retorted.

"Preoccupied? With what?" he responded, confused.

"With what? More like with whom. Don't play innocent with me, Charlie," Sienna said, grinning at him. "Your new girlfriend, Patsy? Or did you forget?" Charlie's face flushed, and he looked down at the apple in his hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about. We're nothing more than friends," he said quietly.

"You don't think I notice the way you gaze at her and sigh longingly? You're so transparent, Charlie," she said, laughing. "But I do believe you're not only bewitched by her. You've succeeded in bewitching her." Sienna pointed across the room to where Patsy sat at a table with Dal, Jack, and Tzara. Charlie looked at Patsy, to find her staring adamantly at him. Her eyes widened, and she looked away quickly when she realized he'd noticed her staring.

"Maybe . . . just maybe . . . ," Charlie murmured to no one in particular.

"Definitely, Charlie. You lack self-confidence, you know that?" Sienna said, patting him on the arm. "I'll make you a deal."

"What kind of a deal?" Charlie asked, eyeing his sister suspiciously.

"I'll help you hook up with Patsy, if . . ." Sienna began.

"If what? Why can't you just do something nice for me for a change, without expecting anything in return? Every time I do something for you in return for you doing something nice for me, I end up getting screwed over by you or getting into big trouble. I'm not going there again," Charlie responded.

"You won't get screwed over or get in trouble this time, I promise," she said. She gave him her best wide-eyed puppy dog impression. "Please?"

"Alright, tell me what it is first, and then I'll tell you what my answer is," he said.

"Well . . . I'll hook you up with Patsy, if you help me get KC," Sienna said.

"But KC's with Cloe," Charlie said, looking at Sienna. He saw the gleam in her eye and knew she had fallen for KC. "Oh, no. I'm not doing that again. I'm not going to tell some lie or trick some innocent person just so you can have the guy you want." He knew exactly what she had up her sleeve, and he wasn't about to try that game again. He didn't want Patsy to find out about it and think he was a bad person, just because he'd helped to break up her two best friends.

"Come on, Charlie! If you don't do it, I'll blurt out to everyone in this room that you like Patsy, and you want her body," Sienna said. Charlie gave her a pointed look.

"I'll do that myself. But I'm not helping you. You're on your own with this one," he said.

"You don't have the guts to say that out loud in front of everyone, and we both know you don't," she countered.

"Wanna bet?" he said, standing up. "Listen up, everybody." All heads in the room turned to look at him. "Just so my big-mouth little sister doesn't do this for me and try to blackmail me for it, I'd like to announce that I'm in love with Patsy. Anyone have any problems with that?" Everyone shook their heads. Patsy turned red and slid down in her seat, while Sienna burst out laughing. Charlie turned back to his sister. "See, I told you I'd do it. You're on your own now." With that he grabbed his apple and walked out of the room.

"Oh, boy, is he a goner!" Sienna said, snickering as he walked off. Charlie was really hooked on Patsy, and what he'd just done was proof enough of it to Sienna. She saw Patsy get up and walk over to the sink, so she followed her. "Sorry 'bout that, Pats."

"Why did he do that?" Patsy asked, looking at Sienna sheepishly.

"Because I threatened to do it for him. He really means it, though. I'm sure of that," Sienna said, smiling at Patsy.

"You mean, he likes me?" Patsy asked.

"It's way beyond that. Normally, Charlie would never do anything like that. Especially for a girl. So I'm pretty sure that it's safe to say that he's in love with you," Sienna said. Patsy nodded. "How do you feel about him?"

"I like him . . . but I don't know if I actually love him . . . yet, anyway," Patsy said, smiling.

"Well, then I think you should go tell him," Sienna said. Patsy nodded, then walked off. Sienna looked over at KC and Cloe. They were cuddling as they talked to Bray and Amber. Sienna wasn't about to give up without a fight. _Get ready, Cloe. Cause your life is gonna be hell now,_ Sienna thought, smiling mischievously to herself. She left the café and went to her room to start contemplating her course of action to break up KC and Cloe.

* * *

"You look amazing!" Zandra exclaimed, as Amber came out from behind the partition, wearing her wedding dress.

"Really?" Amber said nervously. She wore a long, shimmery, crimson colored skirt, a cream colored peasant top that fit her up body tightly, and a pair of strappy brown sandals.

"I mean it. Bray's going to pass out when he sees you, Am," Zandra said.

"I hope so," Amber replied. She walked over to Michael's cot on the bed, and faltered slightly, falling to her knees. Zandra rushed over to her.

"Are you okay?" Zandra said, helping her up.

"Yeah . . . just a little dizzy. That means it's time for me to eat again," Amber said, picking Michael up.

"Are you sure? You look horrible, all pale and stuff," Zandra responded.

"I look horrible? But you just said you though I looked amazing," Amber said, laughing.

"That's not what I meant. It's just . . . that you're running yourself ragged, Amber, and it worries me. I don't want you to get sick again," Zandra said.

"Oh, not you, too. I already got this speech from Bray this morning. I don't know how he found out about it," Amber said, giving Zandra a pointed look.

"I thought that since you wouldn't listen to me, you might listen to him instead. You know you don't have to run the tribe all by yourself," Zandra said.

"Yes, but I was elected to, and I can't shirk that responsibility, no matter what you or Bray say," Amber said.

"Even if it means sacrificing your life?" Zandra said. Amber became quiet and looked down at her feet. She placed Michael back in the cot and walked back behind the partition to change back into her regular clothes. "You're going to kill yourself if you don't let up, you know that." Amber gave no response.

Zandra sighed in frustration and walked out of the room. Sometimes, Amber could be more stubborn than even a mule. Amber pulled her shirt back on, then picked up Michael again and walked to the café. She knew Zandra and Bray were right, but she hated to let everyone down. She got a bottle out of the cabinet in the café and poured water and baby formula into it, then shook it up with the lid on. She grabbed a banana for herself out of the food store. Sitting down at the table, she peeled the banana while holding Michael and took a bite. She devoured it quickly, and started feeding her son his bottle.

"Hi," Bray said quietly, walking into the café. He sat down across the table from Amber and the baby.

"Hi," Amber said, smiling halfheartedly. Bray just sat there silently, staring at her as he always did when he was trying to convince her about something. She looked up from Michael, to see Bray staring. She rolled her eyes exasperatedly and plunked Michael's empty bottle down on the table. "Alright."

"Alright what?" he said.

"Alright, I'll back off things a bit. Let everyone start helping out more. But I'm only doing it because I want to stay alive, so I see our son grow up and so I can grow old with you. That's if the virus doesn't wipe us out first. But I'll back off and start taking better care of myself, I promise," she responded. Bray smiled at her. She lifted Michael up onto her shoulder and burped him.

"Thank you, Amber," Bray said softly. He got up and walked around to where he stood behind her, and put his hands on her shoulders. "I really don't want to lose you for real. And I don't think Michael does either." He kissed her on the forehead. "Want me to put him down for his nap?" She nodded, handing him the little boy.

"I love you," she said, kissing Bray gently. He smiled again.

"I love you, too," he said. With that, he took Michael to the nursery. The remainder of the day was pretty uneventful, which was a change from the way things had been the past couple of weeks. Everyone took it as a sign that the weeding was going to go smoothly. And it would, on the bride and groom's part, but there were some unexpected guests making their way to the mall.

* * *

"Oh, Amber!" Cloe squealed as Amber stepped out from behind the partition, completely dressed and ready for the wedding. Zandra had pulled Amber's hair back into a simple french twist, with a few curly tendrils hanging down, and she'd insisted on doing Amber's make-up, with was simple, but elegant. She held a bunch of daisies in her hands.

"Dal, do you have the ring?" Amber asked, looking at him. He looked so cute, wearing a white doublet and black trousers, like the other guys had done.

"Right here," he replied, pulling the ring out of his pocket and smiling. A few days before, Amber had sent Dal and Tzara on a ring mission. They'd trekked back to Amber's old home in another sector of the city to retrieve her father's wedding ring from it's place in her father's safe. Her father had put all his valuables there when the virus had first hit, for safekeeping, and he'd told Amber the combination before he died, just in case she ever needed anything from it. The ring was a thick silver wedding band that Amber had never seen her father take off his finger until her mother died of the virus. Her mother had died of it months before her father had, and he'd taken it off simply because it hurt him so much to look at it, because it reminded him of her mother.

"Put it on your finger so you don't lose it, okay?" she instructed. Dal nodded and put the ring on his thumb, where it fit quite snugly. "Zandra, are the guys and Tai-San ready?"

"Yeah," Zandra said, holding the baby monitor in her hand along with her bouquet. Not only was she a bridesmaid, but she was the baby nurse for Lexi and Michael until after the ceremony was over. "Tai-San said that all the boys are in place, as well as everyone else, and that's she's ready to start when you are. Just give Sasha the signal, and he'll start playing the wedding march." Amber linked arms with Dal, as the other bridesmaids scurried downstairs.

"You ready?" Dal said, smiling at her.

"I've been ready for this for a long time, Dal," Amber said, smiling back. She took a deep breath, as she picked her skirt up, so as not to trip going down the stairs.

Amber and Dal walked to the stairs, watching the bridesmaids walk to the fountain, where the guys stood with Tai-San. Bray looked up at Amber and smiled. He had his hair slicked back slightly, and wore a white partially-unlaced doublet with black trousers. Amber couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him look so incredible. Sasha played the first few notes of the wedding march on his guitar, and Dal and Amber started down the stairs. When they made it to the fountain, Dal gave Amber's hand to Bray, and they all faced Tai-San.

"We are gathered here today as a tribe, as one, to witness the marriage of Bray and Amber, two of our most beloved leaders. They have been through so much together, and yet their love has survived it all, and they have a son together. First, Amber and Bray have written vows for each other, and they will read those, starting with Bray. Bray?" Tai-San said, looking at him. Bray took a deep, shaky breath. He'd been rehearsing his vows for days, determined to have the memorized. He looked Amber straight in the eye.

"Amber . . . what can I say? You're my soul mate, and I knew it from the first moment I saw you, in the sewers threatening to hit me with a bat," he began. Everyone chuckled. "All I've ever wanted to do was take care of you for the rest of your life, to love you like you deserve to be loved. And now that we have Michael, I want to take care of him, too. I promise you, both of you, that I will take care of you forever, love you, make sure that you're safe, and protect you, no matter what, as long as there's breath left in my body, as long as you can stand to put up with me." Amber laughed, tears filling her eyes. "You're my world, and I promise to never forget that, and that I will always love you."

"Amber?" Tai-San said, smiling. "It's your turn."

"Bray . . . gosh . . . this is so hard. I can barely believe I'm standing here with you, and we're getting married. For someone who once said she didn't believe in marriage, this is like a dream come true. A perfect dream come true. I finally have everything I could possibly want. The boy I love more than life itself, a son, who is the reason I'm still alive, and a set of wonderful friends. With you and Michael, my life is complete now. And I promise, I will love you both for as long as I live, and I will take care of you, too," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks now. "And I promise I will take better care of myself, so I'll be around to see our son grow up and all. I love you so much."

"Now, the rings," Tai-San said. Lex handed Bray the small box containing Amber's ring. Amber turned to Dal, to see him yanking at the ring on his thumb.

"It's stuck! I can't get it off!" Dal whispered. Amber grabbed Dal's hand and started pulling on the ring. It finally slid off, almost causing Amber to fall over, she had been pulling so hard. Bray caught her and helped her back up, everyone laughing lightly.

"Alright, now that Dal's thumb is swollen . . . the ring is a perfect circle, a symbol of unbroken love and commitment. These rings are an outward sign of your commitment to each other. Bray, I want you to repeat after me as you put the ring on her finger," Tai-San instructed. Bray opened the small box and took out a small silver wedding band. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed," Bray repeated, sliding the ring onto Amber's finger.

"Amber, I want you to repeat after me," Tai-San said. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed," Amber said, slipping the ring easily onto his finger.

"What the fates have decreed, let no man dispute. You may kiss the bride, Bray," Tai-San said, smiling. Bray leaned forward and gently kissed Amber on the lips as everyone clapped. They then joined hands, and walked back down the aisle.

Suddenly, the security alarm started going off, and everyone turned to face the sewer entrance. Lex and Ryan grabbed a couple of pipes, and stood by the door, ready to attack. Two boys with sunglasses on walked in. One was a great deal taller than the other, taller than even Bray. Looking at the shorter one gave Trudy a feeling of deja vous. She looked over at Ebony, to see that she was pale and tightly clenching Troy's hand. Trudy wasn't the only person having deja vous. The shorter boy was someone familiar, but Trudy couldn't quite put her finger on it. Lex and Ryan raised the pipes, ready to strike.

"We come in peace. We mean you no harm," the taller boy said. He had long brown hair, which was pulled back into a ponytail, and he and the shorter boy both wore lab coats. "We're from Tribe Dorkus, the science tribe. We've come to speak to Dal, about possibly forming a medical clinic."

"I'm Dal," Dal responded, walking over to them. "Can I help you?" The short boy turned red, realizing they had interrupted something.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to just intrude. It's obvious that you were doing something important," the short boy said. He had curly short blonde hair, and even with the glasses on, he was good-looking.

"No, it's okay. We were fixing to have a celebration. You're welcome to stay if you like," Bray spoke up from where he stood on the stairs. "We have more than enough, and it'll give you time to talk to Dal about whatever it is that you want." The shorter boy looked at his comrade and nodded.

"Alright, we'll stay," the short boy said. "By the way, I'm Matthew, and this is TaiRon." The short boy took his sunglasses off, and Trudy and Ebony both gasped when they saw his pale, icy blue eyes. It was then that Bray noticed the boy's resemblance to someone.

"Oh, my god!" Trudy said, then fainted. Troy knelt down beside her, picking her up in his arms. Troy then walked over to Matthew and TaiRon, staring at Matthew in amazement.

"Well, I'll be damned!" Troy murmured.

"Is she okay?" Matthew asked.

"Yes, she just fainted. It happens quite often with her," Bray said, as he and Amber walked back down the stairs and over to where they stood.

"Her blood is probably weak, then," TaiRon said. "May I take a look at her? I'm a physician." Bray and Troy both nodded, and TaiRon walked over to Troy and Trudy. He examined her for a moment. "Her pulse is very strong, so I think it's not her blood. I think something just shocked her, and that's why she passed out."

"Let's take her upstairs and let her rest. And then we'll eat," Amber said.

"Alright. Come this way," Dal said, leading Matthew and TaiRon, along with the other Mall Rats, upstairs. Ebony stayed behind, walking over to Bray and Amber.

"That's not who I think it is, is it?" Ebony asked, referring to Matthew.

"I'm afraid it might be," Bray said, with a concerned look on his face.

"Might be who?" Amber asked, looking back and forth between them both.

"But you said he was dead and that you guys buried him at sea, burning him in the boat," Ebony responded. Amber's eyes widened as she realized who they were talking about.

"Zoot?" Amber spat out.

"More Martin than Zoot, judging from his appearance and personality," Bray said. "He obviously didn't recognize any of us, so I'm guessing he has amnesia." Bray shrugged his shoulders.

"It was him, no doubt about it," Ebony said.

"I just invited Zoot to eat with us?" Amber said, still in shock.

"Way to go, Amber," Ebony said bitterly.

"Am, Ebony, he doesn't remember who he is, obviously, so he won't hurt us," Bray said, hugging Amber to him.

"Let's just hope he never remembers. Or we're all dead," Ebony said. She turned on her heel and walked upstairs.

"It'll be okay, I promise," Bray said, kissing Amber on the head. "I won't let anything hurt you, Michael, or anyone else in this tribe. Come on, let's head on up to the café." Amber nodded, and Bray led her up the stairs to the café, where the party was already in full swing.

* * *

"Trudy, wake up!" Bray said, tapping her cheek lightly. "Trude, come on!"

"Here. Try this," Amber said, bringing Bray a bottle of perfume. He waved it under Trudy's nose, and she started to cough, her eyes fluttering open.

"What happened? Where am I?" she asked, staring at Bray and Amber, who were standing over her.

"You fainted. You're in your room now," Bray replied. Amber left the room to go get a glass of water for her.

"It was so strange. I could've sworn I saw him. But I was just seeing things, right?" Trudy said, sitting up.

"You weren't seeing things, Trude. It was him," Bray said. "It was Zoot. Ebony, Troy, and I recognized him, too."

"Oh, my god! He's dead! I saw him fall, I saw him float into the sea! What am I going to say to him?" Trudy panicked.

"Nothing, yet. He didn't recognize us. I think he's got amnesia or something. He says his name is Matthew," Bray responded. "So, for right now, we're safe. He's not actually Zoot. From what I've seen of him, he's more like Martin than Zoot." Tears filled Trudy's eyes as she grabbed Bray's hand and held it tightly.

"This can't really be happening. It can't. It's not possible," Trudy said, shaking her head. "It's just a dream."

"Trudy, I promise you, it's not. Even though, in a sense, I wish it somehow was, it's not. He's alive," Bray said, smiling sympathetically. He felt Trudy's grip tighten around his hand suddenly.

"Hi," Matthew said, coming to the doorway of Trudy's room holding a glass of water. Trudy felt her heart doing flips. He was so much more incredible looking than she'd remembered. He'd taken off his lab coat now, along with the sunglasses. She just stared at him, wordlessly. "Is it alright if I come in?" Bray looked at Trudy questioningly. He felt her grip on his hand relax, as she plastered a smile on her face.

"Sure, come in," she answered. Matthew walked in hesitantly.

"I brought you a sleeping pill to take, so you can get some rest. And Bray, Amber told me to tell you that she needs you in the café right away. I brought you some water as well, . . . uh . . . what's your name again?" Matthew said, as Bray stood up.

"Trudy," she responded.

"Yeah, that's it. Trudy. That's a really pretty name," he said, smiling. Bray grinned a little, realizing that not only was Trudy hopelessly infatuated with Matthew, but Matthew was feeling the same about Trudy.

"Well, I'm going to go to the café, since Amber's asking for me. Are you going to be okay?" Bray asked Trudy.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Matthew will look after me, I'm sure. Go enjoy your party, Bray. It's your wedding day, don't let me spoil it," she replied, nodding. She kissed him on the cheek. Bray smiled and left the room. Trudy then turned her attention back to Matthew.

"Well, I'm Matthew. It's nice to finally meet you. You had everyone worried, passing out like that," Matthew said, walking over to her bed. He sat down beside her.

"I'm feeling better now. I just got a little lightheaded, that's all," she said. "Do you know if someone is tending to Brady for me?"

"Who's Brady?" he asked.

"My daughter. She's just a baby, almost a year old," she responded.

"Oh . . . yeah . . . I think Patsy, the girl with the white blonde bangs and dark blonde hair, is taking care of her. That's her name, isn't it?" he said.

"Yeah, that's Patsy. Good. I don't want her to be neglected just because I'm not feeling well and can't take care of her," Trudy said, smiling at him again.

"I'm not usually this bad with names, it's just that I'm a little out of it today, and I can barely remember all these new names, let alone my own name," he said. That made Trudy laugh a little.

"It's okay. It was days before I got everyone's name down, and I had just given birth to Brady at the time," Trudy said. There was an awkward silence for a moment, and they just stared at each other. Seeing him again was surreal for Trudy. It was now that she noticed how much Brady really did look like him.

"If you don't mind me asking, do you know what made you feel lightheaded?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"Well, I saw something, and it startled me a bit," she said.

"What did you see?" he asked.

"You," she said. He laughed a little, his smile getting bigger.

"I'm not that hideous looking, am I? I mean, I know my eyes are an odd shade of blue, and I have a bit of a limp in my right leg, and I can't really tell you that much about myself, because I don't remember anything beyond when TaiRon and the others found me, but I'm not that bad off," he said. His eyes twinkled when he laughed, just like they always had.

"No . . . you're beautiful . . . I mean, um . . . well, it's just that I saw you, and you reminded me of someone," she said quietly, blushing.

"Who did I remind you of?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Just someone that is very special to me. But that person is dead, so you couldn't be him," she said, her eyes filling with tears again. "So, why don't you remember things about yourself?" She quickly changed the subject, not wanting to bring up something that he didn't remember happening.

"Well, when TaiRon and the rest of my tribe found me, I was in the ocean, treading water. I remember waking up in a burning boat, and jumping off it before it sank. My leg was very badly mangled, but I managed to stay afloat somehow. I didn't know who I was or where I came from or anything. Everything before I woke up on the boat was a blank, and it still is. The only thing that I do remember is the name Fielder, and I don't know why," he answered. "TaiRon helped me pick the name Matthew, and I've been with the Dorkus Tribe ever since. They took care of me, helped me get back on my feet again."

"Bray's last name is Fielder," Trudy said quietly.

"Oh? He didn't tell me that," Matthew said, surprised.

"I guessed he didn't," Trudy said.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I'm just worried about Brady, that's all. Every time Patsy takes care of her, something bad happens," Trudy said.

"Shall I go and get her for you?" Matthew offered.

"No, I'll go. Help me up?" Trudy responded. He nodded, standing up and holding out his hand. Trudy took it, shivers going up her spine, and he pulled her up onto her feet. Then, they walked down to the café.

* * *

Bray took Amber's hand in his, smiling. She smiled back. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Is Trudy alright now?" Amber asked.

"Yeah, she's fine. She asked Matthew to sit with her so I could come in here," Bray replied. "I don't think I ever noticed before how much Trudy really loves my brother. You should have seen her, Am. She was absolutely beaming when he spoke to her. I haven't seen her that happy in a long time."

"And what's going to happen if he remembers who he is?" Amber responded.

"Hopefully, if he remembers anything, it will be being Martin, minus the hatred for me," he said. He looked across the room at Jack, who was the DJ for the party. Jack sat sullenly behind the table, his hair and clothes disheveled and messy. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. Bray looked back at Amber. "What's wrong with Jack?"

"He and Ellie broke up the other day," Amber answered.

"Really? Why?" Bray asked, shocked. "They always seemed so happy together."

"Ellie got a little over-possessive, and Jack couldn't take it. He tried talking to her about it, but I guess it didn't help. He blew up at her a couple of days ago, and then he moved back into his old room yesterday," Amber explained. "I can't help feeling bad for him. He really loves her, but she's driving him away with her paranoia."

"I know how that feels," Bray said sympathetically. "Only you weren't driving me away, you were pushing full-force with both hands," he said. Amber laughed.

"Well, I was wrong, and I think this more than makes up for it. Don't you?" she countered, smiling.

"Yes, it does," Bray said, putting his arms around her. He kissed her gently.

"I'm going to go help Zandra with the cake. Why don't you go check on our son?" Amber suggested. Bray nodded and walked off.

Amber looked around the room momentarily. Three couples, Troy and Ebony, KC and Cloe, and Dal and Tzara, were dancing to the slow music that was playing. Patsy and Charlie were tending to Brady, while Sienna sat in a corner, sulking about something. Tai-San and Sasha sat at a table, holding hands and talking, and Lex and Alice sat nearby, talking while he fed Lexi. Ellie had already gone back to her room, saying that she had a headache. Amber had a feeling she just didn't want to see Jack, and that's why she retreated to her room. Salene and Ryan were putting the twins down for a nap and would be back later. Amber sighed happily and walked into the kitchen, where Zandra was. Amber found TaiRon in there, talking to Zandra while he ate.

"Hey, Amber! What's up?" Zandra asked, as she applied homemade frosting to the wedding cake.

"I was just coming to see how the cake was going. And I see you're doing a fine job," Amber replied, smiling.

"Do you happen to know where Matthew is?" TaiRon asked. "He disappeared earlier, to go check on Trudy."

"He's sitting with Trudy until she falls asleep, I think," Amber said.

"You should have seen the look on his face when he first saw Trudy. I've never seen him turn that red before," TaiRon said, laughing.

"Yeah," Amber said, staring off into space. The smell of the food was really starting to make her nauseous, actually more so, since she'd been feeling that way for the past week. She'd actually thrown up a few times, too. All of the sudden, she felt like she was about to be sick again. "I'll be right back, Zan!" she exclaimed.

She ran out of the café and downstairs into the sewer, with her hand over her mouth. Once in the sewers, she bent over and retched. When she was done, she leaned back against the wall, gasping for breath. She wiped her forehead. She put her hands on her stomach. She was more than a week late, and the diabetes had been acting up again. There was only one thing that it could be.

"Well, I guess that answers that question," she said to herself. "I'm pregnant again . . ." She sighed loudly, walking back upstairs to the party.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . . **_


	14. Chunk 14: Sections 66 thru 70

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 14: Sections 66 thru 70**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick. The lyrics used in this chunk are from "When You Say Nothing At All" by Alison Krauss.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 66 thru 70

* * *

Sienna glared at KC and Cloe, who were dancing across the room. KC dipped Cloe, and she laughed. _Why can't that be me? It should be me,_ Sienna thought to herself.

"Cake time!" Zandra said, coming out of the kitchen with the wedding cake, TaiRon behind her with the knife. Jack turned off the music, and everyone gathered around the table to watch Amber and Bray cut their cake.

"Alright, everyone. I just want to thank you all for being here today for this special event in our lives," Bray said. "We hope that you will join in our happiness for years to come, and that this tribe will continue to grow and thrive." Amber tugged at Bray's sleeve.

"What, sweetie?" She whispered something in his ear. His smile got bigger. "You're kidding me, right?" He looked at her in amazement. She smiled, shaking her head. He put the knife down and hugged her tightly, picking her up and spinning her around. He put her down on the floor again, and then he turned to face the others again.

"Amber has just told me, we're expecting again!" Everyone cheered happily, hugging each other and clapping. Sienna couldn't help but smile. Getting married and finding out that they were expecting another child all in the same day was exciting news. Zandra hugged Amber and gave Bray a kiss on the cheek.

"Alright, alright! Enough with the mushy junk! Come on, cut the cake! I'm getting hungry here!" Lex said, making everyone laugh. Bray held his hands up to quiet everyone, and then picked up the knife again. He cut a small piece of cake, and fed it to Amber. Taking the knife from him, she cut another small piece and fed it to him. Everyone clapped.

"Cake for everyone now!" Amber shouted over the noise. Jack turned the music back on, as Zandra handed out cake on plates to everyone. Sienna quietly walked off to her room after getting a piece of cake. Meanwhile, Dal walked over to Jack's DJ table.

"Hey, Jack. Why don't you take a break for a while? Tzara's taking care of Lexi for a little while, so I can take your place. You look exhausted, pal," Dal offered.

"I'm fine, Dal," Jack responded in a monotone voice. "I can handle it." Amber walked up to stand beside Dal.

"Jack, as leader, I order you to take a break. I mean it," she said firmly. "Enjoy the food, mingle with everyone a little. Okay? I mean, Ellie's gone to her room, so you won't run into her." Jack stood up reluctantly.

"Alright! But only because you ordered me to!" Jack said grouchily. He stomped off, and Dal took a seat in the chair that he had vacated. Jack grabbed a large piece of cake and headed off to his room.

* * *

Jack poked at his piece of cake with a fork as he walked back to his room. Walking into his room, he sighed loudly, seeing Ellie sitting at the computer. He put his plate down and walked up behind her.

"Excuse me, but what are you doing in here? This is my room, remember? We don't share a room anymore," he said grouchily. She didn't bother to look up from the game of solitaire she was playing to respond.

"This computer is mine, too. Not just yours. I got it for you, so I have every right to use it if I want, whether it's in your room or not," she replied dryly. "Besides, I thought you were supposed to be playing DJ in the café. What happened?"

"I'm taking a break. Amber insisted on it. Now, will you please get out of my room?" he said. She shut off the computer and turned in her chair to face him.

"No," she said simply, giving him an angelic smile.

"But you're not using the computer anymore. You just turned it off! There's no reason for you to be in here, so get out!" he exclaimed, pointing to the door. She wrapped her legs around the legs of the chair, and held to the seat with her hands, shaking her head.

"I'm not moving from this seat. And you can't make me!" she taunted. He crossed his arms across his chest and started tapping his foot.

"Ellie, I've had it up to here with your childish antics! Please, get out of my room, or I will carry you, along with the chair, out myself," he said, looking up at the ceiling the way he always did when he was aggravated about something.

"Nope, still not moving. Anyway, you couldn't carry me if you tried. You're too weak, Jackers," she said, laughing.

"What do you want from me?!" he screamed, getting in her face. "An apology? Because I'm not the one in the wrong here, Ell, you are!"

"No. I want to apologize, and I'd like us to get back together," she said sweetly.

"You're kidding me right?" he said, smirking. He pretended to be thinking for a moment. "Now that is not going to happen. No, thank you, Ellie." He backed up to the worktable that he had placed his plate on. "So, Ellie, why don't you just admit your defeat and go drown your sorrows in some wedding cake?" He smashed the gooey cake all over her face and hair, laughing.

"Ooo! You little devil!" she shrieked, untangling her legs from the chair. Jack waved, and then ran out of the room back down to the café, with Ellie hot on his heels. Jack went skidding under one of the tables and popped up on the other side. Ellie grabbed a bowl of soup, running over to him. She pulled the waistband of his trousers out a little bit and poured the soup in. Jack's mouth opened in shock as the hot liquid soaked his clothes.

"Aww . . . pour Jackers had a little accident!" Everyone was staring at them by now.

"This is war!" he yelled. He grabbed a bowl of pudding and poured it down her shirt. "Feeling a little mushy today, Ellie!" He rubbed her shirt at where the pudding was inside for a second, and then ran off again, hiding behind another table. Ellie picked up a chicken leg.

"Oh, Jack?" she called out. His head popped up from behind the table, and she threw the leg, beaning him in the head. He was stunned for a moment, and then grabbed a plate that was on the table and a spoon. He scooped up some mash potatoes and launched them at her. It hit her in the eye.

Angrily, she grabbed a bottle of water and ran over to him, pouring it all over him. As his hair dripped, he slid over to the table where Lex, Zandra, Alice, and TaiRon sat and grabbed a handful of beans off Alice's plate. He mashed them up in his hands, and then smeared it down Ellie's skirt. At that, Ellie grabbed his trousers and pulled them down.

"Oh, well if we're going to do that, then here!" he exclaimed, yanking down her skirt and exposing her lacy underwear. "Ooo . . . did you get those from the Victoria's Secret catalogue?" Ellie turned red, looking at him in the eye.

"Stop it, you two!" Amber said, as she and Bray ran up behind them. Suddenly, Ellie, screamed, lunging at Jack, her nails bared. She scratched him across the face, as they both fell to the floor and started wrestling.

"STOP IT!" Alice shouted, but it was no use. They didn't hear anyone. Lex stood up, nodding at Bray. Bray grabbed Ellie, and Lex grabbed Jack, and they were pried apart, both out of breath, red-faced, and dirty.

"No more, got it!" Amber said, standing between them.

"She started it!" Jack said, trying to pull out of Lex's grip.

"You little liar! You were the one who threw food first!" Ellie retorted.

"Shut up!" Amber hollered loudly, and they were suddenly both quiet. Amber took a deep breath. "I don't care who started it. But it's stopping right now. I don't even begin to know what's going on, or why you did this, or how you feel about each other, but this can't happen again. You've wasted food and water with this little feud, as well as disrupting the party."

"Bray, Alice," she said, looking at both of them. "Take them to their own separate rooms and clean them up, then bring them back here. I think it's about time we talked this out once and for all. Understand?" Ellie and Jack both nodded guiltily, as Bray led Jack off, and Lex handed Ellie over to Alice.

"I'm sorry, Amber," Ellie said, tears filling her eyes. "I don't know what got into me."

"It's okay. But you and Jack need to sit down with an unbiased third and fourth party, that being me and Alice, and work it out. Now, go get cleaned up," Amber responded, smiling. Alice led Ellie out of the café. Amber sat down in a nearby chair and started to laugh, as did everyone else.

"Do you want us to clean this up for you?" Zandra asked, chuckling a bit.

"Nah. It's their mess, so they have to clean it up. It'll be part of their punishment," Amber said, smiling again. She looked around. There was food all over the floor, and some chairs had been knocked over. They would have to clean it up quickly, too, before the rats set upon it. Boy, did they have a large task ahead of them. She started to laugh again.

* * *

"They sure made a mess, didn't they?" Matthew said, as he walked Trudy back to her room. She had put Brady to bed an hour before, and they could hear her gurgling happily in her crib.

"Yes, they did. But it's nothing new. Jack and Ellie are always fighting, breaking up, and then getting back together. It's a never ending circle with them. I'm sure they'll work it out and be back together within the next few days," Trudy responded with confidence. "Though I will say, I've never seen them fight quite like that before." She walked over to the crib and picked Brady up. "Who's a sleepy girl? I wish my Brady-bear was," she cooed at her daughter.

"You said she's a year old?" Matthew asked, walking over to them.

"Almost. She's named after Bray and me, a combination of the two names. She looks so much like her dad, though," Trudy replied, a wave of sadness sweeping across her. "Would you like to hold her?"

"Uh . . . sure, I'd love to," he said. He took Brady from her, cradling the little girl in his arms. Brady grinned and cooed at Matthew as if she already knew him. It was as if Brady knew who he really was, her father. Watching them gave Trudy a feeling of deja vous, remember the only other time that he'd held their daughter, and her eyes filled with tears, as she smiled.

"Who's her father?" Matthew asked, as he looked up at Trudy again. It was weird for Trudy, seeing him again. It was almost a dream come true. She was getting a second chance with him, if only he could remember who he actually was.

"Um . . . Bray's younger brother, Martin," Trudy answered.

"Where is he then? He didn't leave you and Brady, did he? I don't know why any guy would do that to a beautiful girl and his daughter. If I were him, I would never leave either of you."

"Thanks," she said, blushing. She looked down at her feet. "Actually, he had an accident, shortly after Brady was born, and he died. Bray's been taking care of us ever since."

"Oh . . . I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked," he said quietly, feeling guilty. He looked down to see Brady yawning. She stared at him with her crystal-clear blue eyes. She was almost ready to go to sleep. Staring at her, he realized she looked like someone he had seen before and, he closed his eyes and remembered a vision he'd been having for months . . .

"Why should I?" he heard himself say. He stood across from a boy and a girl, Bray and Trudy, and Trudy was holding a baby in her arms. He was looking at them, Bray and Trudy, but they looked different. They were younger, and Bray's hair was shorter, while Trudy's was longer.

"For her," Bray said, handing Matthew the baby in Trudy's arms. He looked down at the child. A pair of familiar blue eyes stared back at him. It was Brady.

"Matthew?" he heard Trudy say. He snapped out of his trance.

"Yeah?" he responded, looking up at her.

"You can put Brady in her crib if you want," Trudy said. He nodded and lay Brady in the crib, covering her up with the blanket. He turned to face Trudy.

"Something wrong?" He had a bizarre look on his face, as though he had just seen a ghost. He was pale, his eyes wide, and his mouth slightly open.

"No, not at all," he said, trying his best to plaster a smile on his face. Trudy examined him for a moment, thinking.

"Why don't I believe you?" Trudy countered, looking at him suspiciously. Matthew sighed loudly, sitting down on Trudy's bed.

"Because I think you may know me better than I do right now," he said. "I didn't just remind you of someone that's dead. I am that someone, aren't I?" Trudy started to cry, and he knew he was right. She sat down on her bed beside him, sobbing.

"How did you figure it out?" Trudy said softly.

"I looked at Brady, and I remembered this dream I've been having. The same dream, over and over, every night, for months. I'm talking to two people, and they give me a baby to hold. Their faces have always been a complete blur, all except for the baby. Looking at Brady, I realized she was the baby. Suddenly, the other faces became clear, as though I had found the missing piece to a puzzle," he replied. "I'm Martin, aren't I?" Trudy nodded.

"We didn't want to tell you. We were trying to wait and see if you actually remembered anything on your own, or for some kind of proof that you were Martin. When you said you remembered the name Fielder earlier, I was pretty sure it was you. Besides, no one else has pale blue eyes like yours except for Brady," Trudy said.

"Finally, after months of being a no-name, no-memories personality, I know who I am!" Matthew exclaimed.

"You don't know all of it though and that scares me," Trudy said.

"Why should it scare you?" he asked, confused.

"You only know a piece of who you are, that you're Martin Fielder, that I'm your girlfriend, that Bray is your brother, and that Brady is your niece. And Michael's your nephew, and Amber's your sister-in-law. There's more and when you find it out, one of two things could happen. You could turn against it, or you could embrace it," she explained.

"Embrace what?"

"Embrace Zoot."

"You mean that dead loony toon that the Chosen worshiped?" he said, laughing. "He was nuts, and I didn't agree with anything the Chosen did, or the philosophies that they believe in."

"You did once, though," she said.

"What are you saying, Trudy?" he asked. "That I used to be a member of the Chosen?"

"No. I'm saying that you are Zoot. Or you were, once," she said, looking at him timidly.

"What?! Hell no! No way! There's no way!" he exclaimed. "I've never been that evil, and I never will be!" He stood up and started pacing. It baffled him, the thought of being part of something that violent.

"You were before. When . . . if you remember everything, you can't guarantee that you won't become Zoot again," she said warily. "It's part of who you are, and that's hard to shake off."

"Trudy, I promise, I won't," he said, taking her by the hands. As he was remembering even more now, emotions that he hadn't felt in a long time starting running through his veins again. "Knowing who I am ahead of time and what I caused makes a big difference. Now, I have to go. TaiRon is waiting for me. Please, don't tell anyone about this until we can talk more about it. And I'll be back tomorrow to see you and Dal. Okay?" She nodded meekly. He kissed her gently on the lips. "It'll be alright." She smiled at him. "Bye!" With that, he ran out of the room.

* * *

Amber sat at a table in the café, her hair pulled down now, and her hands resting on her belly, with Bray sitting beside her. Jack and Ellie were on their hands and knees cleaning up their mess. Bray reached over and covered one of Amber's hands with his own.

"It's hard to believe that in another nine months, we're going to have another little Michael running around," Bray said softly.

"I know . . . ," Amber trailed off. "Bray . . . are you happy about this baby coming?" Bray looked at her, startled not only by her question, but her bluntness in asking.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be? You've seen how much I love Michael, and with this child, I'll actually get to be there for the birth. And I'm going to love this little boy or girl as much as I love Michael," Bray responded.

"Well, with Michael, you really didn't have much of a choice. He was already born, and you didn't really have time to think about it, because as soon as you knew about him, we found out he was still alive. With this baby, it's going to be a little different. You're going to wait nine long months to see this little person and to love them. And just like Michael, I didn't plan this. I mean . . . we just got married, and Michael's a handful enough on his own. Are you sure you can handle this?" she asked.

"Sure . . . but I'm wondering if you can. All these questions you're throwing at me makes me think that you may not be entirely happy about this baby," he replied, giving her a strange look.

"I am. I'm a little surprised, yes, but I am happy about it. I just want to make sure you want to deal with this. Zandra can tell you from experience, I'm not the most cheerful of expectant mothers. I'm grouchy, and I have mood swings, and I cry easily, and I'll probably start thinking I'm too fat and that you don't love me. Are you really sure you want to put up with that?" Amber said, laughing. Bray smiled, squeezing her hand.

"I wouldn't have married you if I didn't love you and want to have more kids with you. So, yes, I want to put up with that, as you say. But it won't be a chore to me. I'm going to love every minute of it," he said. He leaned forward and gently kissed her on the lips. "I love you, Am."

"I love you, too," she whispered, pressing her forehead against his, with her eyes closed.

"Hold on just a second," he said. He got up and walked over to the stereo system. He put in a CD and pushed play, then walked back over to her and pulled her to her feet.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"We didn't get to have our first dance as a married couple," he said, as the music started to play. He pulled her to him as they swayed to the music.

_It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart . . . Without saying a word you can light up the dark . . . Try as I may I could never explain . . . What I hear when you don't say a thing. _

Across the room, Jack and Ellie stared at the couple as they danced quietly. They both looked so happy in each others' arms. Jack looked over at Ellie sadly. That could have been them, but it was too late now. They resented each other too much to ever go back. Ellie looked over at Jack, as he quickly looked away.

"Listen, Jack . . . I'm sorry. You were right. I was being too possessive," Ellie admitted quietly. Jack looked up at her, amazed. It was a rarity for Ellie to admit she was wrong.

"Yeah, but I didn't have to react the way I did. There was a better way of handling it. I just couldn't see that at the time," he responded.

_The smile on your face let's me know that you need me . . . There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me . . . The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall . . . You say it best when you say nothing at all. _

"Forgive me?" Ellie said, her eyes filled with tears. Jack closed his eyes and nodded.

"But only if you forgive me, too," he said, smiling. She smiled back, and he knew she did. He leaned forward to kiss her, as she leaned forward. As their lips were about to touch, Ellie backed away.

"I can't do this. We can't be together," she said quickly, her cheeks red.

"Why not? We love each other. There's nothing keeping us apart," he asked.

"Jack . . . Alice decided that we're going to go back to the farm. For good. We leave in a couple of days," Ellie said. Tears started to trickle down her cheeks. "She thinks that I would be better off away from you. And I have no choice but to go. Ma and Pa left her to take care of me after they died. I'm so sorry." She stood up and ran from the room in tears. Jack sat there in shock, with his mouth wide open. He scrambled to his feet and walked off toward Alice's room. He had a few things to say to her about this.

Amber yawned loudly. Bray noticed it and smiled to himself. He walked over to the stereo and turned it off.

"I think it's bedtime for you," he said.

"No . . . it's our wedding night. I don't want to spoil it for you," she said, yawning as he picked her up in his arms.

"If you get sick and lose the baby, or die yourself, it would be spoiled. You mean more to me alive, if you know what I mean?" he said. She laughed a little, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Alright. I'll go to bed. But that means it's your turn to get up with Michael tonight," Amber said.

"I don't mind at all," Bray said. He kissed her on the forehead as she drifted off to sleep in his arms. He carried her into their room, and laid her on the bed. He pulled her sandals off and put a thick blanket over her. Then he retrieved the baby monitor from Zandra and got into to bed beside his wife. He read a book as he listened to Amber and Michael both breathing peacefully, fast asleep. He finally felt whole.

* * *

"What are you thinking?!" Jack exclaimed, storming into Alice's room. She sat in a chair reading.

"What?" Alice said, putting her book down. "Slow down, Jack. What are you talking about?"

"You're taking Ellie back to the farm, that's what. Why? We finally made up and are making some headway in our relationship, and I come to find out you're taking her away from me, because you think it's what's best for her. Why are you doing this?" Jack asked.

"You two need a break from each other, Jack. Look at the way you guys have been fighting lately. Each time, it's worse than the one before it, and the food fight was just the last straw. I talked to Amber and the others about this, and I just feel that if you guys took a break, got away from each other, you'd both have time to think and cool down. Maybe have a chance to see if you're really meant for each other. Who knows? Maybe you'll both meet someone else, maybe you won't, but at least you'll know, and this madness will stop," Alice explained.

"I'm not just thinking about what's best for her, I'm thinking about what's best for both of you. I care for you just as much as I care for her. I hate seeing both of you so miserable. Besides, somebody's got to put their foot down in this situation, and it's going to be me. I'm sorry, Jack."

"Well, are you guys ever going to come back?" Jack asked.

"We will continue to bring food, yes. And maybe, after some time, we'll consider moving back here. But for right now, it's pretty much a permanent thing," she responded.

"Great! Who the hell appointed you as God over my love life, Alice? Or Ellie's, for that matter? She's got a mind of her own, you know!" Jack exclaimed angrily.

"Yes, I know that. But she can't see this from a clear perspective. And neither can you. So I'm making the decision for both of you," she said.

"Well, I hope Ellie ends up hating you for this as much as I do. You shouldn't mess around with other people's lives, Alice. Thanks for nothing," he said. With that, he stomped out of the room.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! I apologize for the long wait for this update – I was just being lazy! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . . **_


	15. Chunk 15: Sections 71 thru 75

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 15: Sections 71 thru 75**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 71 thru 75

* * *

The next day, Dal, Tai-Ron, and Matthew sat down and began discussing the formation of a medical clinic, while Alice and Ellie started to pack their things. Zandra, Tai-San, Trudy, and Patsy helped them. Meanwhile, Jack sat in the workshop, staring absentmindedly at the security camera monitor, sulking over Ellie's looming departure.

"It's just not fair," he said to himself. "I finally realize that I want to be with her, and that I want to be with her forever, and she has to leave. Why? Is there some decree up there amongst the adults that Jack will never be happy and is doomed to walk the earth alone?" He fiddled with some meaningless gadget in his hands, turning the handle on it, making the pulleys move. He sighed in frustration, throwing the object to the floor.

"Ahem!" someone nearby cleared their throat. Jack turned around to see Ellie standing in the doorway.

"Uh . . . hi," Jack said quietly, looking down at the floor.

"Hey," she responded, not able to look at him. She squatted down and picked his gadget up off the floor, setting it on the worktable. They stood there for a moment in silence. "Look, I heard about what you said to Alice last night. I just wanted to say thank you."

"For what? It's not like it made any difference. You're still leaving," he said.

"Well, thank you for trying. I know how hard it is to stand up to Alice. And I'm glad you at least tried. It shows how much you care," she said. "I love you for trying."

"It was no problem," Jack said, shaking his head. He walked back over to his worktable and sat down in front of the monitor again. Ellie followed him, standing behind him.

"Please, don't shut me out, Jack. I only have a few days left here, and I want to spend them with you. I want them to be perfect, something for us to hold onto, until we're able to be together again," she said. "Please?" She put her hands on his shoulders. He melted with her touch, but was determined to keep up his resolve. They both had to move on, and the sooner the better.

"I can't," he said, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears. "I love you, but I can't. We have to move on, Ell. This is very real, and I doubt we're ever going to be together again."

"All the more reason to cherish the time we do have," she said.

"It's too hard. I'm sorry," he said. He felt her hands move off his shoulders, and he heard her walk out of the room. He put a hand on his forehead, leaning on the worktable. He felt so weak, so powerless.

He glanced up at the monitor and saw someone walking around outside the sewers. Suddenly, he was very alert. He got up and ran down the hallway to where Bray and the others were. They had an intruder on the way.

* * *

Bray sat at a table in the café, watching Lex and Ryan play poker as he ate, when Jack came running into the room. He was out of breath and had a look of panic on his face.

"There's - there's someone outside . . . I saw them on the security camera," Jack stuttered, gasping for breath. Lex put his cards face down on the table, as did Ryan.

"Did you get a good look at them?" Lex asked.

"No. It was just a brief glimpse, but someone is at the sewer entrance and probably on their way inside right now," Jack replied.

"Bray, get the girls and children all into one room and keep them calm. Jack, Ryan, you come with me. We're going to find out who this person is," Lex instructed.

Bray abandoned his bowl of cereal and took of down the hall, while Lex, Ryan, and Jack grabbed baseball bats from Lex's room and ventured toward the entrance to the sewers. They stood waiting, as the door creaked slowly open.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Ryan yelled at the intruder. The person emerged from the sewer, their hands up. It was a girl with short brown hair and blue eyes. Ryan recognized her and signaled to Jack and Lex that it was alright. They put their bats down. She stared shyly at them, her cheeks turning red.

"Hi, Ryan," she said quietly.

"Hey, Lysette. What are you doing here? You should be at the farm with the others," Ryan said. Lex and Jack immediately understood. She was one of Alice's farm girls.

"It's a long story," she said simply. "Todd and I split up." Ryan nodded understandingly.

"Lex, Jack, this is Lysette Powell. She works out at the farm. Lysette, this is Jack and Lex," Ryan introduced them. She nodded at the boys, waving a little.

"I've seen them before. Nice to meet you," she said, still very quiet. She looked at Ryan again. "Are Alice and Ellie here?" She held onto the sleeves of her jacket nervously with her hands, biting her lower lip.

"Yeah, they're here. I'll take you upstairs to them. Lex, go tell Bray and the others that it's alright. Alice and Ellie are still packing, I think," Ryan said. He led Lysette off towards the stairs. Jack looked over at Lex.

"Lucky break, I guess. It wasn't an intruder after all," Jack said.

"Yeah," Lex said. "Let's go tell Bray and the girls." Jack nodded, and they walked off.

* * *

"Can I come in?" Matthew asked, poking his head in the door to Trudy's room. She sat on the bed reading while Brady napped. She smiled at him and nodded, closing her book.

"How are you doing today?" she asked.

"Okay. I'm starting to remember more stuff," Matthew answered, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Which means I have lots of questions to ask."

"Ask away," she said.

"Well . . . I know I'm Bray's brother and that you were my girlfriend at one point," Matthew began.

"I still am, hopefully," she interjected.

"Yeah, you are," he said, taking her hand in his. "And I know that Brady is my daughter. What I don't understand is where that girl Ebony and her boyfriend Troy fit into my life. I remember them, but I can't quite place it."

"Well, before the virus, Troy was your best friend, and when you became Zoot, he was your right hand, and he became Jaffa, or the Guardian. You know who the Guardian is, don't you?" she responded. He nodded.

"Anyway, he led the Chosen and all that. Ebony . . . well, that's a little complicated. I wouldn't say that you two were entirely linked romantically. There was something there, but you were too hooked on me to really notice, I think, until you went into Zoot-mode. Before all that, though, she was involved with Bray, sort of. After you became Zoot, she became your other protégé. She took over after you 'died' and led the Locos, which was the tribe you started. Once that fell apart, she joined us and helped to defeat the Chosen. Basically, what that means, is that for a while, you, she, and Troy were kind of like the Three Musketeers, just doing evil instead of good."

"Is that why you ran away?" he asked. Trudy turned red, looking down at her hands.

"Partly. It also had a lot to do with the fact that I was pregnant, and I didn't think it was safe for me to be around you and the Locos. Bray found me and looked after me. He brought me here, and this is where I gave birth to Brady and found the best friends I could ever have hoped for," Trudy replied.

"And you loved Bray," he said softly.

"I did once. But I don't now. I guess I'm a bit of a cliché," she said.

"What do you mean?" he said.

"I didn't know what I had until I'd lost it. Until I lost you, that is," she responded. "I was so stupid. I didn't realize how much you loved me, or how much I loved you back until it was too late." He put a finger under her chin, lifting her head up so he could look into her eyes.

"But you have a second chance. And I remember most of who I am, especially how I feel about you. And that's not going to change," he said. He kissed her gently. "I bet you didn't know this, but before Lex chased me and I fell from the balcony, I was going to give in. Leave the Locos and be with you and Brady."

"Really?" she asked, her voice shaking. Tears filled her eyes.

"You are my world. You were then, you are now. I think you've always known that. Without you, I'm nothing. That's why I was so desperate to see you at the time. I felt lost without you, but I didn't want anyone else to know it," he said.

"I need you more than ever now. This is a lot to deal with, and it's going to take all my strength to keep from becoming the awful person I used to be. I'm going to need you to remind me everyday of why I can't be him anymore. You and Brady." Tears trickled down her cheeks as she smiled, searching his wonderful blue eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her again. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she responded quietly. They kissed again.

* * *

"He broke up with me!" Lysette said, sobbing into Alice's shoulder. Alice sat with her arm around the girl, while Ellie continued to pack, and Amber sat in a nearby chair with her hands on her stomach.

"There, there, Lys. I'm sure he didn't really mean it. You guys have broken up before, and you've always managed to work it out and end up back together. This probably won't be any different," Alice said, stroking her hair.

"You didn't see how hateful he was about it. The look in his eyes . . . he was really serious about it this time! I was so awful to him, I'm sure he completely loathes me!" she exclaimed.

"Well, maybe so . . . but why did you leave? You know running from things is never the answer," Alice asked her.

"It just got so unbearable, being around him. I couldn't take it anymore. So, I packed my things and came here. I don't know if I'll stay here for long, but I'm certainly not going back to that farm as long as he's there," Lysette said, hiccupping. She pushed her hair behind her ears.

Alice looked at Amber, grinning a bit. Lysette was known for being a little over-dramatic at times, but Alice knew she was telling the truth. Lysette wasn't the kind of person to run from her problems, unless it was something horribly bad. For her to come running to Alice and Ellie, and the sanctuary of the mall was a sign that things weren't good at all.

"Well, you're more than welcome to stay here if you like, for the night at least. Anything beyond that, the tribe will have to vote on. Is that alright?" Amber offered. Lysette looked up at Amber and smiled, the first time she'd smiled since she had arrived.

"Thanks. But only as long as it won't be too much trouble," Lysette responded.

"Oh, it won't be. There's an extra bed in Sienna's room. You can sleep in there," Amber said. "Alice, why don't you take her to go get something to eat? She looks famished. And introduce her to everyone." Alice nodded, and she and Lysette left the room. Amber sat up in her chair, leaning forward a bit. Ellie continued to pack, knowing what Amber was thinking, but not wanting to talk about it.

"Since I know you won't bring it up on your own . . . how are you feeling about things? Leaving the Mall . . . leaving your friends . . . leaving Jack?" Amber said hesitantly.

"I'm fine. Absolutely fine. I can't wait to go home again. I mean, I'll miss you all, but there's no place like home," Ellie said.

"Uh-oh . . . we'd better get out the ruby slippers, so you can leave Oz. Look, we may have our problems around here, and you and Jack may be having problems, but no matter where you go, there's going to be trouble. Your problems aren't just going to magically disappear because you're back at the farm and away from the cause of them, Ellie. Just like not talking about them doesn't mean they don't exist," Amber responded. "You talked to him this morning, didn't you? What did he say?"

"I really don't want to talk about this, Amber," Ellie said.

"Tough. Talking about what's bothering you always helps. And I'm here to listen, so talk," Amber said firmly. Ellie sighed loudly, sitting down on the bed, facing Amber.

"All he said was that he loved me, but it hurt too much to spend the last few days I have left here together, and that it was over, and I should move on with my life. He said that he doubted that we would ever be together again. That's it," Ellie said.

"That's it?" Amber asked. Ellie nodded, a glum expression on her face. "Well, how did it make you feel?"

"Like someone taking a 38-caliber gun to my heart and blowing it to pieces. I feel like crap, Amber. How else would something like that make me feel?" Ellie said sarcastically.

"I guess like that . . . minus the gun to the heart bit," Amber said. "Can I say something?"

"Sure. You already are anyway," Ellie said, starting to pack again.

"Look, I know Jack loves you, and deep down, he probably agrees with you that you two should spend these last few days together. But he's hurting, quite a lot in fact, and he just pushing you away, because it's easier than having to deal with the inevitable heartache and goodbye. Give him another chance. Only this time, don't give him choice about it. It's not just about what he wants, you know," Amber said, standing up. "I'm going to go eat with Lysette and Alice. Do you want anything?"

"No," Ellie said, as Amber walked to the door. "Amber?" Amber turned back around to face her.

"Yeah, Ell?" she said.

"Thanks. For listening and all. I'll never forget it," Ellie said. Amber smiled sympathetically at her.

"You're welcome. Just don't forget what I said. Give him another chance. He might just surprise you," Amber said. With that, she exited the room. Ellie turned back to her packing, tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

* * *

Amber walked toward Jack's workshop. She knew she was being nosy, but she just couldn't let things between Ellie and him end so badly. She was determined to help set them both straight. She found Jack sitting at his worktable again, staring mindlessly at the security camera monitor. She picked up a stuffed bear that was nearby and aimed, throwing it at him. It hit him squarely in the back of the head, and he still didn't budge. She wadded up several pieces of paper together to make a large, semi-heavy ball. She threw it at him. This time, he grunted.

"Hey you!" Amber said, walking into the room. Jack turned to face her.

"Oh, hey . . . was that you throwing stuff at my head?" Jack said, a little dazed.

"Yeah . . . trying to get you out of the land of 'Duh, I don't have a clue!' "Amber exclaimed. "What's wrong with you? Ellie wanted to spend the last few days she has here with you, and you say no? You're nuts, you know that!"

"What do you care? It's my fault they're leaving in the first place," Jack said, turning back to his table. He rested his chin on his arms, hunched over.

"So what? Just because Alice thinks that it's best that you two take a break from each other doesn't mean that you should give up on Ellie now! She really loves you, and you hurt her. What you said to her hurt her feelings. Not only do you owe her an apology, but you owe it to her and yourself to make these next few days the most memorable days you can. For both of you. At least that way, while you're apart, you'll have something better to remember than all your fighting," she said.

"I don't care! I'm already miserable as it is. Why should I get happy, only to know that I will suddenly be miserable again when she leaves? There's no point in it," he responded.

"Is there ever a point to being in love? I mean, it's like a roller coaster, always taking you for an up-down-and-all-around ride, but it doesn't mean that you should get off. Just when you're starting to feel sick, you should jump right back on and enjoy the ride and scream your lungs off," Amber said. "Then puke your guts out afterward." This made Jack laugh.

"That didn't make much sense, but okay," Jack said, looking at her strangely, as he turned back to face her again. "Look, thanks for the advice, but I just think it's easier to leave things the way they are, rather than open the wound and pour more salt on it. Okay?"

"Alright," Amber said, disappointed in him. "Well, it's getting late, and I need my sleep, especially in my condition. Just think about it, okay? You've still got a few days left before she leaves." Jack nodded, smiling half-heartedly. Amber walked out of the room.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! I apologize for the long wait for this update – I was just being lazy! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . . **_


	16. Chunk 16: Sections 76 thru 80

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 16: Sections 76 thru 80**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

My apologies for taking so long to upload the next chunk. It's been over a year, I know – but this story is up in its completed entirety on my site, too, just for future reference. But I'm going to try to post the rest of it here today!

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 76 thru 80

* * *

Later, that night, Jack lay in bed, wide awake. He stared at the pattern the glow-in-the-dark stars on his ceiling made. He had already connected them together to form the pattern of a duck and a rat, and now he was trying to figure out another one. Amber's words echoed through his head. "Is there ever a point to being in love? I mean, it's like a roller coaster . . . you should jump right back on and enjoy the ride and scream your lungs off . . ." He was beginning to understand what she meant. She meant that, though love could make you really unhappy, the joy it gave you, no matter how short, was really worth it. Suddenly, he heard the floor creak and realized someone was coming into his room.

"Who's there?" he asked quietly, slowly sitting up in bed. Ellie stood in the doorway, dressed in the simple nightgown that she always wore. It was white, long-sleeved, flannel, and not very revealing. But somehow, tonight, she looked absolutely beautiful in it.

"It's just me," she said softly. The light coming from the sky light above the doorway hit her blonde hair and made it look as though it was glowing. He could just barely see her face, but he could tell that she had been crying.

"Couldn't sleep?" he whispered, getting out of bed and walking over to her.

"No. You?" she asked him back.

"Not a wink," he said. He reached up and wiped away a tear that fell down her cheek. "It's going to be okay, Ellie. We can survive without each other."

"It's not okay," she said, searching his eyes with hers. "You're the only thing that has ever really mattered to me, and now I'm losing you. I haven't even left yet, and you're pushing me away. And I know you don't want to get hurt, but you're already hurting anyway. Why fight it?" She took his hands in hers. "Have you ever seen the movie Steel Magnolias?"

"What?" Jack replied, looking at her oddly. "No . . . why?"

"Shelby, the main character of the movie . . . when she tells her mom that she's pregnant, even though she shouldn't have children because it will make her sicker than she already is, she tells her mom that she'd rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special. Does that make any sense to you? 'Cause up until now, I never really understood what she meant," she said.

"Yeah, it makes sense. But what are you trying to tell me?" Jack asked.

"This," she said, kissing him. At first, Jack tried to pull away, but as she continued to kiss him, he began to kiss her back. He wrapped his arms around her waist. He slowly backed her up toward the bed, and they fell back onto it, still kissing.

Jack woke up the next morning, tangled up in the sheets. He looked over to where Ellie was lying beside him, only to find that she was gone. He got up and quickly got dressed, running down to Ellie's room. All her things were gone. He quickly checked in Alice room, but she was gone, with her things missing as well. They had left sooner than he thought. Ellie had left without saying goodbye.

Jack walked back into her room. He curled up on her bed, her scent filling his nostrils, as he cried silently. He looked over at her desk, where her typewriter sat. Her favorite pink shirt and the amulet lay on top of it. He got up and walked over to the desk, picking the items up. He started to cry harder, as the reality sank in that she was gone. He put the amulet on and walked back to his room. No one else was up yet, so he just got back in bed, and fell back asleep, dreaming of Ellie and their night together.

* * *

Lysette woke up kind of early, because Sienna was talking in her sleep a bit. After half an hour of trying to get back to sleep, she gave up and went into the café. Upon walking into the room, she noticed a piece of paper laying on one of the tables. She walked over and picked it up, reading it.

_To whichever of you finds this first:_

_We decided early this morning to leave for the farm sooner than we had planned. We're fine, so don't worry. By the time you actually find this letter, we'll probably be there. We want to thank you for all that you've given us over the months and let you know that we will miss all of you so much. Hopefully, we'll see you soon, since your usual food order is due in a couple of days. Stay safe, and as always, keep the hope and the dream alive!_

_Love,_

_Alice & Ellie_

_p.s. - To Jack - Ellie says to tell you that she loves you, and she'll never forget you._

"Oh, my god. They're gone!" Lysette exclaimed loudly. She stood there in shock, staring at the piece of paper as her hands shook. Jack, who was already awake anyway, came running into the room.

"What? Who's gone?" he asked, although he already knew. Lysette silently handed him the letter, and he quickly skimmed through it. His eyes stopped at the last sentence, and a smile flashed across his face briefly.

"I can't believe they left early. I thought they were going to stay until I had figured out what I was going to do," she mumbled, sinking into a nearby chair.

"It'll be okay," Jack said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm going to go wake Amber up. She needs to know about this." Lysette nodded listlessly as he walked off with the piece of paper. What was she going to do? She couldn't go back to the farm. It was just too hard to look at him. And without Alice and Ellie here, she felt lonely and friendless. She laid her head in on the table and started to cry. About that time, Jack came back into the room.

"Amber's got to get dressed. She'll be in here in a few minutes," he said. Lysette didn't look up or respond, and he could hear her sniffling. "Lysette? Are you okay?" He knelt down beside her. "Lysette?" He put a hand on one of her tiny hands.

"What am I going to do? Alice and Ellie were the only friends I had outside of the farm, and now they're gone. I have nowhere else to go, Jack," she said, her voice hoarse. She looked up at him, her nose all red and her eyes an odd shade of icy blue.

"Well, you could ask Amber if you can stay here permanently. We'd have to vote on it, but I'm sure everyone would welcome you in. There's more than enough room," Jack suggested. He grabbed a napkin and handed it to her. She dried her eyes a bit.

"Why are you being so nice to me? You should be feeling just as miserable as I am right now. Your girlfriend's gone. You have every right to be upset. I'm just worrying about something that's my own fault in the first place," she responded, smiling a little.

"Well, for starters, you seem really upset about it, and you don't have anywhere else to go. Second, if there's one thing I can't take, it's seeing a girl cry. It just makes me want to cry. Third, Ellie said in the letter that she loves me and she won't forget me. That just lifts my spirits up, because I know there's still hope," he replied. "So, please stop crying, or I'm going to start crying with you, because I hate seeing you so sad." Lysette hiccupped, sniffling.

"Thanks, Jack. You're really sweet," Lysette said, kissing him on the cheek. Jack smiled, sitting down in the chair next to her.

"Besides, Alice and Ellie aren't your only friends outside of the farm. You have me and Amber," Jack said. "And we'll be behind you one-hundred-and-ten percent if you decide to stay here."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah. And if you get voted into the tribe, I'll throw a big party for you, to cheer you up. Okay?" he offered. She grinned like a little child, nodding her head. Amber and Bray walked into the room.

"You okay, Jack?" Amber said, giving him a look of concern.

"I'll be alright. There's still hope," he replied. "There's always hope."

"Glad to hear you say that," Amber responded, smiling. "So, where's this letter?" Bray opened the food store and started heating up some of the applesauce that Salene had made and stored in little jars. Jack handed Amber the letter. She sat down across from Lysette and him at the table, carefully reading the letter. Once Bray had the applesauce cooking on the stove, he came and sat down beside Amber. She handed him the letter, and he read it.

"I don't understand what could have made them decide to leave two days early. Any ideas, Jack?" Bray said, looking up at him.

"None at all. Actually, Ellie and I had a talk and we were getting along quite well last night. I'm not sure what happened," Jack lied, shrugging his shoulders. He had somewhat of an idea of why they left, and he knew it was mostly because Ellie was probably scared from what had happen the night before. He knew she'd probably come around and that she and Alice come be back eventually.

"Maybe they were just eager to get home?" Amber said. Bray nodded in agreement. They heard Michael start crying from downstairs and Amber instantly stood up to go tend to him.

"I'll go. You take a break and relax. You were up most of last night with him," Bray said, stopping her. She sat back down.

"Thanks, sweetie," she said. He kissed her gently and then stood up and headed downstairs to check on their son. Amber looked over at Lysette. "Morning, Lys. You look like you have something on your mind. Want to share?"

"Um . . . well . . . I've been talking to Jack about what my options are as far as where I want to go . . . and I was wondering . . . could I stay here?" she asked shyly, fidgeting with the napkin in her hands nervously.

"Well, we'll have to get everyone together and vote on it. But it shouldn't be a problem. We're going to have a meeting this evening after dinner anyway, to discuss Troy's progress, and for Dal, Matthew, and TaiRon to announce something. We'll just bring it up then," Amber said, smiling. Bray came back into the café, carrying Michael. Amber stood up, taking the little boy from Bray. "There's my little man. I hope you slept well. Cause Mommy didn't." The little boy cooed at her. "Let's go get you something to eat." She got up and walked off to go fix a bottle for him. Bray brought Lysette and Jack both bowls of hot applesauce, and then sat down across from them.

"So, how's Amber doing, aside from the lack of sleep?" Jack asked, taking a bite of applesauce.

"Fine. She's got a little morning sickness and occasional back pain, but otherwise, she's fine. Her diabetes is under control for the time being, and we talked with TaiRon. He'll be taking over her case as far as the diabetes, while she's pregnant. Michael's been a little restless the past few nights, and though Amber and I have been taking turns with him, I know it still wears her out," Bray answered.

"Of course," Jack said, nodding.

"You know, if you guys really need a break from taking care of him sometimes, I'm available," Lysette said quietly.

"Really?" Bray asked. "That would be wonderful."

"Sure . . . I love little kids. I was an only child, but I had lots of little cousins, and I was constantly looking after them. I don't mind it one bit," she said.

"Alright . . . we might just take you up on that offer sometime, Lysette," Bray said, smiling. Lysette finished off her applesauce and got up and left the room after cleaning her bowl and putting it up. Jack watched her with a goofy grin on his face.

"She seems really nice. I hope she gets to stay," Jack said.

"Why? Because she'll be a welcome addition and much needed help, or because you fancy her as a replacement for Ellie?" Bray asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What? I'm not looking for a replacement for Ellie. I'm not looking to hook up with anybody. I love Ellie, Bray. I'm not going to give up on her that easily. It's just . . . she seems to be so lonely and looking for a friend, and I think the Mall is just the right place for her," Jack retorted, turning red. "I'm . . . uh . . . going to go watch the security camera monitor for a while. Come get me if you need me. Uh . . . yeah." Jack awkwardly stood up and walked out of the room. Bray started laughing. Jack could be so transparent sometimes.

* * *

Trudy lay curled up on her bed, watching Matthew feed Brady. He and Brady were in a chair a few feet from the bed, and he was slowly feeding Brady slices of orange, making sure that she chewed each slice up and swallowed it before giving her the next. It was such a sweet moment. Trudy knew he was going to make a wonderful father, as she had known before, when she'd first found out she was pregnant. He had always been good with little ones, up until his transformation into Zoot.

"What are you thinking?" Matthew asked, looking at her.

"Lots of things . . . like how you're a wonderful father, like I always knew you'd be, how glad I am that Brady will actually get the chance to get to know you after all . . . how lucky I am, because I didn't realize what I had until it was gone, and I'm getting the chance to fix that . . . ," Trudy replied slowly. She stood up and walked over to them, standing behind Matthew. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I'm also thinking that we're going to have to tell everyone about all of this sometime. We can't keep it secret forever, and Bray deserves to know that you are his brother, and that you remember him and your parents, and everything else. I mean . . . he was so crushed when he thought you were dead."

"Really? All I remember about him was my extreme hatred for him, because you wanted him and not me, and because he was Mr. Perfect and I wasn't," he responded.

"Well, he never hated you, and he never understood why you hated him. But, I think all this is happening for a reason. Not just so I can get a second chance with you, but so you and Bray can have a second chance, too. Look, Bray may not actually ever say it, but he loves you very much," she said. "And whether you like it or not, you owe it to him and everyone else to let the cat out of the bag."

"I agree. It's just hard . . . TaiRon's not going to understand, and I'm still feeling a little weird about it all. I have three personalities, and they're suddenly colliding, and I don't know what parts to keep, and what to throw away," Matthew said.

"Well, I'm here to help you with that. Bray will want to help to. All I can say is . . . throw everything about Zoot away, except for the confidence. That was the one thing I liked about him. He spoke his mind, and he stood up for himself. Don't lose that again," Trudy said, kissing him on the cheek. She looked down at Brady. The little girl was fast asleep. "I think it's nap time for someone." Matthew looked down at their daughter, laughing. He stood up, taking her over to her crib. He gently put her in it, covering her with the blanket, and then walked back over to Trudy. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him.

"As long as I have you, I can do anything," he whispered.

"We can do anything," she corrected him, smiling. He laughed.

"Right. We can do anything," he said, his voice trembling with laughter. He kissed her gently.

* * *

"Alright, everyone! Please be quiet!" Bray shouted over the noise in the café. Everyone settled down, except for Zandra and Lex, who were having a loud argument about something that was probably of little importance.

"You do so ignore me!" Zandra yelled.

"I do not! I've just been a little busy with security around the mall lately!" Lex retorted, an innocently startled look on his face.

"Busy my eye! You spend more time with Bray and Ryan than you do with me or Lexi! We should come first over your buddies!" Zandra said bitterly.

"I'm not spending more time with them on purpose! There's been a lot of security issues around here recently!" Lex countered.

"Excuse me!" Bray exclaimed, stepping in between them. "We're trying to have a meeting here."

"Sorry, Bray," Zandra said, looking down at her feet in embarrassment. Lex haughtily crossed his arms over his chest.

"Save it for later. Preferably for discussion in private. Lex, you go sit by Salene and Ryan. Zan, you go sit by Amber. Okay?" Bray commanded firmly. They both nodded in agreement and stomped off to their separate corners. Bray walked back over to Amber. "Well, we have quite a bit to discuss today. The first order of business is Troy. His one month probation is up as of today, and we need to decide if he has made enough improvement to stay here permanently. Ebony, what do you have to say on his behalf?" Ebony shoved herself and her chair back from the table and stood up.

"I've spent quite a bit of time with him over the past month, and I've seen a lot. He gets along well with everyone, he helps out around here like the rest of us, and he's settled the grievances from his past by bringing Michael home and coming clean about his wrong-doings. In many ways, he's helped some of you to be happier, me included. I think he's made a great deal of improvement. So much so," Ebony said, looking over at Troy briefly, "I recommend that he be taken off probation and be allowed to join the Mall Rats as a permanent member." She looked back up at Bray and Amber, smiling.

"Is that all you have to say?" Bray asked. Ebony nodded, taking a seat again. "I guess we should vote on it then. All in favor of Troy joining the Mall Rats, raise your hand." Everyone's hands shot up. "Alrighty, then. Troy, welcome to the Mall Rats." Troy smiled, leaning over and kissing Ebony. "Now, the next order of business before TaiRon, Dal, and Matthew make their announcement is Lysette. She came to Amber and me this morning and asked to join the Mall Rats, in lieu of returning to the farm. I've talked to her, as have most of you, and I see no real reason why anyone would object to her staying here. We have more than enough room and food. So, let's vote on it. All in favor?" Everyone's hands went up again. "Again, it's unanimous. Welcome to the Mall Rats, Lysette." Lysette grinned, as Jack squeezed her hand.

"Now for the announcement from Dal, TaiRon, and Matthew," Amber said, standing up beside her husband. "The floor is yours, guys." Amber and Bray both sat down, as Dal stood up.

"Well, it seems that my medical expertise has gained some notoriety around the city. As you know, Tribe Dorkus is chiefly a science tribe, especially in the field of medicine. TaiRon and Matthew came to see me to talk about forming a medical clinic, located at the hospital in the old Locos territory. They've generously offered to let me head it up, since I'm so organized and have the most medical knowledge out of everyone they know. Basically, this clinic will service not only the Mall Rats and Tribe Dorkus, but all the other tribes in and around the city as well. Our services will be free to everyone, no payment needed. What we will need, however, is a lot of help in cleaning the hospital up, getting the supplies and making the medicine we'll need. I've already discussed in length with Tai-San about her coming on as a chemist, since she knows how to make the antidote, as well as many other useful remedies." Dal stopped, taking a breath.

"Tzara has agreed to be a nurse, but we'll still need more, so if you want to volunteer for that, speak with her, as she's in charge of the nursing staff. We're going to start scouting the city for anyone else that might be interested in helping. So, do you guys have any questions?" Everyone looked around at each other, but no one had anything to ask.

"Go for it, Dal. It sounds like a great idea," Lex spoke up. Dal looked at him, shocked.

"I agree," Bray said. "I'd thought about it before, when we first found the antidote, but never done anything. You should do it." Everyone else chorused their agreement.

"I guess that's good, then," Dal said. "That's all we have to say." He sat down beside Tzara again.

"Does anyone else have anything they want to bring up and discuss?" Amber asked. Trudy stood up silently. "Yes, Trudy?"

"Well . . . after much deliberation, Matthew and I decided to bring up something . . . well . . . you see, I don't know if most of you even knew this, because Amber, Bray, Troy, and I kept so quiet about it, but Matthew is someone we all know. Everyone does. And he's just starting to remember . . . ," Trudy trailed off.

"What are you saying, Trude?" Salene asked. She looked at Trudy, Amber, and Bray questioningly. Bray and Matthew both stood up.

"What I think Trudy's trying to say is . . . well, Matthew isn't Matthew. He's Martin," Bray said quietly.

"Martin who? We don't know any Martin," Cloe responded, confused.

"I'm Martin, as in Bray's brother. Which also means that I'm . . . ," Matthew trailed off. Salene gasped loudly, catching on.

"You're Zoot!" she exclaimed, standing up in shock. A murmur rippled across the group. "You're dead! Lex killed you! We all saw it!"

"Not exactly, Sal," Trudy said. "We just thought he was. He woke up in the boat that we set on fire and pushed out to sea. Tribe Dorkus found him and took him in, and he had amnesia and a mangled leg. He's only just now remembering who he really is. And that is Martin."

"And Zoot," Lex growled. He stood up and began to pace. "Why didn't you tell us? You recognized him when he first walked in, and you said nothing, any of you! Do you have any idea what kind of danger you put us all in, especially the children! What were you thinking?"

"That we recognized him, but he obviously didn't recognize us, so we thought were safe for the time being. We didn't want anyone to panic," Bray said. "But it's a little different now that he knows."

"You got that damn straight!" Lex said. He walked over to Matthew, standing nose to nose with him. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just beat you to a dead, unrecognizable pulp right now!" Matthew didn't even flinch as he opened his mouth to speak.

"For starters, you don't scare me. For seconds, knowing who I was, how evil I was, and being disgusted by it before I even knew I was Zoot himself makes a big difference. I can fight it and keep from becoming him. I don't want to be him ever again. Okay?" Matthew said clinching his fists.

"He's telling the truth, Lex," Trudy said.

"I can't believe you actually trust him! But then again, you've always been a little off in the head," Lex snarled at her.

"Lex! Shut up!" Zandra said. She stood up and walked over to the two boys. "I think he deserves a fair chance. He seems to be sincere about it, and like he said, he knows the wrongs he caused as Zoot, and he doesn't want to be like that anymore. Right, Bray?" She looked over at Bray and Amber.

"Well . . . uh . . . I guess . . . I guess I agree. I'd love to have my brother back. It will take a little work on everyone's parts, but it's worth a shot. Family is family, no matter what," Bray responded. "Welcome back, Martin." He smiled sincerely at his brother. And for the first time in a long time, his brother smiled happily back.

* * *

"Ellie, come on! We need help in the barn with the cows! You have to come out sometime!" Alice yelled, banging on the door to Ellie's room. Ellie lay curled up in bed, wearing the same clothes she had worn the day before, all wrinkled. Tears slid down her cheeks as Alice continued to holler. "If you don't open this door right now, I'm coming in on my own, whether you like it or not!" Ellie sighed loudly, getting up and opening the door.

"Happy now?" Ellie said grouchily, crawling back into her bed and pulling the covers over her head. Alice yanked the comforter off her little sister.

"I don't care if you mope over Jack or not, but I will not allow you to shirk your responsibilities around this farm! The rest of us work hard, so you have to as well! Got that?" Alice exclaimed.

"I don't care about the farm! I don't care about anything anymore! Now, go away, Alice!" Ellie growled, shoving her face in her pillow.

"Even if you don't help around the farm, at least get up and put some clean clothes on and act like a human being! Alright?" Alice suggested. Ellie gave no response. Alice threw her hands up in the air in frustration and walked out of the room. Ellie started to cry harder.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! I apologize again for the long wait for this update – I was just being lazy! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . . **_


	17. Chunk 17: Sections 81 thru 85

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 17: Sections 81 thru 85**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 81 thru 85

* * *

Ebony sat in her and Troy's room, brushing her hair out. She sat at a small, mirrored vanity, pulling out the knots that had developed in her hair overnight. Matthew walked quietly into the room.

"Hi," he said simply. She gasped loudly, turning to face him. Her face went pale, and she stood up, backing away.

"What do you want?" she asked, frightened by his presence.

"Just to talk. There's no need to be scared of me. I won't hurt you," he replied, giving her a strange look.

"Oh, yeah . . . and I should believe that? You and I both know who you are and what you're capable of," she responded. "I will never, never trust you."

"I realize that. But you really need to get used to me being around. I'm not going to go away," he said. "Look . . . I know I did some really demented things to you when we were together, and I never really treated you like you deserved to be treated. There's so many things that I haven't done right, and I'm trying to rectify them one-by-one, starting with you. I've already fixed things with Trudy, though it wasn't that hard. You . . . well, I get the feeling that fixing things with you might be a little more difficult, because I caused you a lot of emotional and mental damage."

"You most certainly did. You know, if anyone could break me, it was you. The only thing you couldn't break was my heart. Your brother did that one. But, c'est la vie. I'm stronger now, and I can take whatever crap you may dish out," she said.

"You always could take my crap. I don't think you ever realized how strong you were until I was gone. You and Troy both depended on me too much. But that's why I chose you as my two assistants, my fill-ins for when I couldn't be there. I knew you would carry on with things, that I could trust you with not only my life, but Trudy's and Bray's. I knew you both well enough to know that you would hurt other people, but you would never harm them. I also knew that you two would work well together, given the chance. Only, you jumped ship before he did, which was a smart move," Matthew said. He paused a moment, then spoke again.

"All that power and chaos stuff was a load of bull, though I didn't see it at the time. I don't think I really caught on to the harm I was causing and how evil I had become until I found out about Brady. The night I 'died' . . . I was ready to give it all up to be with Trudy and Brady, you know. I would have done anything for them. Still would. Which is why I'm staying put this time. I can't let them down again." He stopped for breath, giving Ebony a chance to respond.

"Okay . . . keep going," she said, moving back towards the vanity and sitting down.

"All I really want to say is that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the times I hit you, all the times I talked rudely to you, for getting you involved with the Locos and the Chosen . . . and mostly for just being the worst possible friend and lover I could have been. And I'm really sorry about that. I'm hoping, someday, we can be friends again. I value your friendship more than you know," Matthew said. He could tell Ebony was trying not to smile.

"Is that it, Matthew?" she asked.

"Yeah. I've got to go. It's my turn to feed Brady," he answered. He turned to walk away, then stopped, turning back to face her. "By the way . . . from now on, you can call me Martin." This made Ebony smile. He smiled back, and then left the room.

* * *

"There you go," Ryan said, laying Kina in one of the cribs in the nursery. "It's nappy-time, my sweet angel." He kissed his daughter on the forehead and walked out of the room. Salene sat in a rocking chair feeding Jakob, opposite Zandra.

"You are so lucky, Salene," Zandra said, rocking Lexi to sleep. "Ryan's such a sweet guy. And he really loves you and the kids."

"Yeah, he does," Salene said, smiling. "For a while there, I wasn't sure that I loved him back. I mean, really loved him, the way he loved me. But that's in the past. I couldn't be happier now if I tried. I don't know what I'd do without him."

"You got one of the good guys, Sal. I got stuck with a rat," Zandra responded, getting up and putting Lexi to bed. "A big, smelly, old rat."

"You and Lex still having problems?" Salene asked, chuckling a little.

"Yeah . . . it's not that I don't love him. I do love him, very much. It's just . . . I feel like he's always ignoring Lexi and me. He's so busy with security around the mall and other things, he doesn't have time for us anymore. And every time I try to bring it up, he gets all defensive and accuses me of being possessive or something," Zandra replied.

"I've never really seen you as the extremely possessive type, unless Tai-San was making a move on him," Salene said, grinning. "It sounds to me like he's in denial. And that he's trying way too hard to stay busy, and there's got to be a reason why. You ought to try asking him if there's something bothering him. It might help."

"Maybe," Zandra said, as she watched Salene put Jakob in the crib beside his sister. She watched as Salene walked over to her and Ryan's room and put her arms around Ryan's waist, tickling him. She and Lex used to be like that, sort of. Well, maybe not entirely like that, but they were closer. Zandra sighed, placing Lexi's wet nappy in the garbage, and walked out of the room toward upstairs.

* * *

A couple of days later, Alice and some of the girls from the farm brought food. Ellie came along with them, standing awkwardly at the entrance, not making eye contact with anyone.

"Jack! Ellie's here!" Dal exclaimed, scrambling into the hardware shop, where Jack sat in front of the computer.

"Not funny, Dal. That joke is wearing really thin," Jack replied sarcastically.

"It's true! She's here, with Alice and the farm girls! They brought food! She's downstairs," Dal said excitedly. Jack realized he was serious and got up, running downstairs. He practically tripped twice, making those who were downstairs laugh lightly as they saw him. He slid the last yard or so of his way over to her.

"Ellie," he breathed. She looked incredible, as though he hadn't seen her in ages, even though he'd seen her just a few days before.

"Hi," she said softly, looking down at her feet.

"I've missed you," he said. Her eyes looked up at him, as she smiled a little.

"Me, too," she responded. They hugged, and she laid her head on his shoulder as he held her, tears falling down her cheeks. He knew she was crying, as he felt the tears wet the shoulder of her shirt and heard her sobbing softly.

"It's going to be okay. I promise. We'll be together again someday," he whispered comfortingly to her, running his fingers through her hair. "As Shakespeare said, 'And all these woes shall serve for sweet discourses in our times to come.' This is meant to be, I know it." His words only served to make her cry harder.

"I'm just so miserable out there without you, Jack. I don't know how I'm going to make it," she said, her voice muffled.

"Ell, I need you to be strong for me. For us. It's just as hard on me as it is on you. But we will survive, and we will be together someday," he said. "Come on. We'll go have some tea before you have to go. Okay?" She nodded, and he took her hand, leading her upstairs to the café like an innocent little child. Alice watched the entire scene from the sewer entrance, with Amber standing beside her.

"I'm still not sure I made the right decision, Amber," Alice said. "She sits around the house all day, doing nothing, not even bothering to get dressed or cleaned up most of the time. She barely eats, and she's starting to look really pale and sickly. I'm worried."

"She'll probably be okay. It's just going to take a little time for her to adjust. I'm not so sure bringing her here so soon after leaving was such a good idea, though. It might just make the problem worse," Amber said.

"Actually, I was hoping it would help her a little bit. She didn't really get to say goodbye to him. I'm hoping that once she gets the chance, she'll move on and start getting better. I don't know what I'm going to do with her if she doesn't," Alice responded.

"Bring her back here?" Amber suggested.

"I'm trying not to do that. She won't learn anything if I just give in that easily. She has to realize that she can't keep picking fights with him and not expect it to affect the rest of us. She needs to grow up a little bit," Alice replied.

"But do you really want to let her starve herself to death over this?" Amber said.

"No . . . but I'm going to stick to my instincts, unless she gets worse or something. Until then, if it comes to that, she's going to have to tough it out. I know she's strong enough. If she'll just let herself be. She has to stop depending on him so much, and he needs to stop depending on her," Alice said. "It's gotten so hard to tell where one of them ends and the other begins. They don't exist as separate people anymore. Someone's got to do something, and it's going to be me. Ma and Pa left me to take care of Ellie and raise her right. I plan to do just that."

"I admire your persistence. I would have given in by now. It may not seem like it, but I'm a hopeless romantic at heart. I know how it feels to be where they are. I managed to survive a year without Bray, even losing Michael and all," Amber said. "At least with my situation, I had no control over it. I was held prisoner. Ellie and Jack don't see it that way. They don't understand why this is happening, and they may not entirely see your reasoning behind it. Ever."

"That's what bothers me. I don't want her resenting me for this later on," Alice said, sighing.

"I don't think she will. Someday, she'll understand that you were doing this for her own good. And Jack will see it, too," Amber said, patting Alice on the shoulder.

"Maybe . . . but Jack was right. Who am I to play God with people's lives?" Alice asked. "I'm going to go help the girls unload the rest of the stuff we brought. Talk to you later."

"Bye," Amber said as Alice walked off, a sad expression on her face. Poor girl. She was just trying to be a good sister to Ellie and a good friend to Jack, but her conscience just didn't feel right about it. She knew they belonged together.

* * *

Amber curled up on the bed after putting Michael down for his nap. She'd been feeling nauseous again all morning. It wasn't her idea of fun, but she was happy to be pregnant again, and even happier to be back in the mall with Bray and the others. She started to think back to before she and Zandra were kidnapped, and how panicked she had felt when she first found out she was pregnant with Michael. It hadn't been so much that she didn't want the baby or anything; she was just worried about how Bray would react. But she had made her mind up from the start. She was going to raise the baby with or without Bray. Bray wanting to be with her and Michael and be a family was just luck, and she knew that. But sometimes she wondered if it was really luck. He wanted to marry her even before he knew about Michael, and still wanted too once they had Michael back. She had heard Tai-San say so many times before that love could conquer anything. Maybe it was true. Her thoughts were interrupted when Bray walked into the room.

"Hi, sweetie," he said, kissing her on the head as he sat down beside her on the bed. "Feeling okay?" He took her hand in his.

"Yeah. I feel fine. Just a little morning sickness. It'll pass," she responded, linking her fingers through his. Bray smiled at her sympathetically.

"You should have seen Alice trying to pry Ellie and Jack apart when it was time for them to leave. I swear, I've never heard Ellie scream that loudly," Bray said, shaking his head.

"You're kidding me, right? She screamed?" Amber asked, sitting up.

"Screamed bloody murder. I'm surprised it didn't wake the babies up," he replied, chuckling. "I feel bad for them. Alice, too. This can't be easy for her, knowing that her sister is miserable, and it's her fault. Sure, she's doing it for Ellie and Jack's own individual good, but it's still difficult. True love is true love, no matter how much you try to tear it apart or break it down."

"Yeah . . . sort of like us, I imagine," Amber said, smiling.

"Yeah. That's how I know it will all work out in the end. I keep telling Jack that, trying to keep him hopeful about it all," Bray said.

"So have I," she said. "So, what do you want the baby to be?" Bray grinned, his eyes sparkling.

"I wouldn't mind having another boy. But whatever you decide is fine. I don't have much control over it," he said.

"Oh, and I do?" she said playfully, poking him in the ribs. "I'm hoping it's a girl. I like the name Catherine Anissa. We could call her Catey for short." Bray thought about it for a moment, rubbing his chin.

"I like it. We could call her Catey-Ann," he said. Amber made a face. "I'm just kidding. I like Catey. It's pretty. What if it's a boy?"

"I haven't thought of one yet." Amber shifted uncomfortably. "I don't feel so good." She turned a little green, putting her hand over her mouth and scrambling out of the room. Bray stood up and checked on the sleeping Michael, then wet a washrag and took it down to his wife in the sewers.

* * *

Ellie sat quietly in the bathroom at the farm. She opened the medicine cabinet and took out her father's old razor, taking the blade out. She carefully cleaned it with some rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab. She stared at the glistening stainless steel as she thought of what she was about to do. Slowly, she rolled up her sleeve, revealing slash marks up and down her arm, some fresh from earlier that morning, some scabbing over and healing.

Putting the cold metal against her arm, she pushed, dragging it across the skin. She closed her eyes with the pain, as the blood trickled from the wound. The tears of relief rolled down her cheeks. The pain her heart had now subsided. She ran water over the blade and put it back in the razor, placing it in its spot in the cabinet. She wiped the cut with rubbing alcohol, biting her lip with the pain that the chemical brought, and then put a bandage over the laceration. She pulled her shirt sleeve over it and unlocked the bathroom door, calmly exiting the room.

She dried her eyes quickly as she made her way out to the barn to milk the cows. Some of the other girls were already in there working, and they didn't notice Ellie as she walked in. She got her cow, Marta, out of her pen and pulled her over to a stool beside Todd and his cow. Grabbing a clean bucket, Ellie sat down and started to milk the cow.

"You okay?" Todd asked, looking over at her, concern showing on his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ellie replied, not looking up from the cow.

"I heard you went with Alice and the others to the mall today. That must have been really hard, seeing your ex-boyfriend and all again," he said sympathetically.

"Not really. We had tea and talked. Nothing more," Ellie responded curtly.

"Is Lysette okay? Alice mentioned that she would be staying at the mall permanently," Todd asked.

"She's doing okay. She's made friends quickly with everyone, and she really likes it there. Not that she doesn't miss the farm or anything; she just enjoys the change of scenery. But as far as I can tell, she seems to be fine and adjusting very well to things," Ellie answered. His questions were starting to annoy her. She felt as though he could see into her soul and could tell that something was wrong, and she wasn't in the mood to confess her soul to anyone.

"Are you enjoying the change of scenery, Ellie?" he inquired. Ellie sighed irritatedly.

"What do you think?" she said coldly as she finished milking Marta. With that said, she took the full bucket over to Alice and then put Marta back in her pen, walking out of the barn.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . . **_


	18. Chunk 18: Sections 86 thru 90

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 18: Sections 86 thru 90**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick. The lyrics used in this chunk are from "Smoke" by Natalie Imbruglia.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 86 thru 90

* * *

A couple of weeks passed uneventfully, as the Mall Rats and Tribe Dorkus worked together on the clinic, trying to fix the hospital up. The boys spent the majority of the day at the hospital working, while the girls stayed behind at the mall with the little ones. Cloe helped Amber with Michael, since most mornings she spent her time down in the sewer being sick to her stomach. Michael was starting to say words, mostly little ones, like Mama and Dada. Brady was starting to walk, which overjoyed Trudy and Martin, and she was finally calling Martin "Daddy."

Alice, Ellie, and the farm girls had brought food to the mall twice since the initial visit. With each subsequent visit, it became harder for Ellie and Jack to see each other, and their hope of ever being together again diminished slowly. Ellie's cutting became worse as their relationship started to crumble.

Ellie sat quietly in her usual spot in the bathroom on the edge of the bathtub as she cleaned off the razor blade. Her hands didn't even shake as she pressed the metal against her skin, drawing blood. She let out of a sigh of partial relief, cleaning off the wound. Sitting there for a few moments, thoughts of Jack once again filled her head, and she started to cry. She cleaned the blade off, about to cut herself again, when someone knocked on the bathroom door, startling her. She slid the blade hard across her wrist, making a deep cut.

"Ellie? Are you okay? You've been in there for almost 10 minutes! Alice wanted me to check on you!" she heard Todd say through the door. Tears streamed down Ellie's face as she threw the blade in the toilet. She looked down at her arm. It was bleeding badly, blood gushing out each time her heart beat. She couldn't hide it anymore. She was severely injured, and she knew she needed to get help and fast. She grabbed a towel, putting it on the laceration and pressing. It was quickly soaked in blood. Ellie turned white, frightened.

"Todd, help!" she cried, sobbing harder. She heard him turn the doorknob.

"It's locked, Ellie! You have to unlock it before I can come in! What's wrong, Ellie?" he shouted. She turned the lock before collapsing on the floor. Todd threw the door open, to find Ellie unconscious on the floor, bleeding profusely. He grabbed a fresh towel and knelt down beside her, tying the towel tightly around the wound.

"Oh, my god! Ellie! We'll get you help!" he said frantically. He picked her up and ran out to the barn where the others were.

* * *

Alice paced back and forth nervously outside of the hospital room. Todd had come rushing out to the barn with Ellie in his arms. She had slashed one of her wrists, and they'd taken her over to the hospital where Dal and some of the others were. Luckily, Jack hadn't been there, and Dal and TaiRon were able to take care of her quietly. She'd lost a great deal of blood on the trip there. She'd looked so pale when they wheeled her off into the OR.

"Well, I think she's out of the woods," Dal said, coming out of the room, with a blood splattered apron on. "We stitched the wound up. But she's lost a lot of blood, so she could still go either way. We're going to keep her here for a few days, just to make sure she's going to be okay. TaiRon's bandaging her up, then you can go see her." He hugged Alice then walked off down the hall.

"Thank god!" Alice exclaimed, sinking down into a chair beside Todd. Todd put an arm around her as she sobbed in relief. "What in the world could have possessed her to do something like this? To try to take her own life?"

"I don't think that's what she was trying to do, Alice," Todd said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked, looking at him in bewilderment.

"The past few days, I've noticed a change in her attitude. She's not really depressed, just grouchy. And yesterday, one of her sleeves got yanked up when she was milking Marta. There were cuts all up and down her arm," Todd replied. He ran a hand through his short, sandy blond hair. "Alice, I think Ellie may be cutting herself." Alice laughed in disbelief.

"What? On purpose? You must be joking. Ellie would never do that," she said.

"The Ellie you and I know might not. But the Ellie of late, she might. I mean, for the first several days she was at the farm again she locked herself in her room, crying nonstop. She barely speaks to you, and when she speaks to the others, she snaps at them. Every time she's gone to the mall, you've practically had to drag her back home, and once she's home, she's about twice as grouchy as before," he responded with concern. "It's just so obvious."

"But why would she do something like that?" Alice inquired. "It just makes no sense."

"It might not make sense to you and I, but it does to her," Todd said. "I had a friend that had the same problem. It's a control issue. Ellie feels like she has no control over her life, and she's miserable because she misses Jack. She transfers her emotional pain into physical pain by cutting herself, thus relieving her pain for just a little while."

"So you're saying this is my fault? Because I'm the one who took her away from Jack, and I know I can be a little controlling sometimes . . . ," Alice trailed off.

"No, it's not your fault at all. You're just being a good sister to her, the best one you know how to be. A large part of it is in Ellie's head. She just thinks things are much worse than they really are," he consoled Alice.

"Is there anything we can do to help her?" she asked.

"All we can really do is keep a close eye on her, be supportive of her decisions, and mostly, just let her make her own decisions," he answered.

"Do you want to do that? I mean, look after her until she gets better?" Alice suggested. "Because she's already angry enough at me as it is. I'm afraid I'll just make it worse."

"Sure, I don't mind," Todd said, shrugging his shoulders. TaiRon came out of the room, and Alice and Todd both stood up. "You go see her first. I'll be in there in a few minutes. I think you two need some time alone." Alice nodded, hugging him, and walked hesitantly into the room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

"Hi, Tai-San," Lysette said as the girl walked into the café. "How are you today?" Tai-San looked up from the book she was reading.

"Oh, I'm fine. You?" Tai-San responded.

"I'm okay. Still getting used to things around here," Lysette said. "What are you reading?"

"_Anna Karenina_. Have you ever read it?" Tai-San inquired, sitting down beside Lysette at one of the tables.

"No, I've never read it. I love to read, but thick books just scare me. They're like a neverending nightmare, and I always feel as though I'll never finish them. I do know what _Anna Karenina_ is about, though," Lysette replied. "Married woman falls in love with a soldier, has an affair with him, becomes pregnant with his child, is forced to tell her husband, and eventually commits suicide by throwing herself under a train, only after the child is born and she runs off with the soldier. Correct?"

"Yeah, that's about it in a nutshell," Tai-San said. "It must be hard for you, living here after being out in the country on a farm for so long."

"Not entirely. I grew up in a city to start with. Actually, I'm American," Lysette said.

"Really? Wow. That would explain the accent," Tai-San said.

"Yeah. I'm from the southern US," Lysette responded.

"Is Todd American, too?" Tai-San asked. Lysette shook her head as she sipped her hot chocolate.

"He's British. From a little town outside of London," she answered. "We met online, through this online pen pal service. We just clicked. We're exactly alike for the most part, which is a good thing, but it has turned out to be a pretty bad thing, too."

"I bet," Tai-San said, getting up to make herself some tea. "So how did you guys actually meet in person, if you started out as pen pals?"

"We wrote back and forth for several months, talked online. We became best friends, then we just sort of fell in love. Our parents weren't too happy about it, but we wanted to be together. So we planned to run off together and get married. Had the money all saved up and everything. Then the virus hit. His parents were some of the first to die over in Europe," Lysette explained.

"What happened after that?" Tai-San asked.

"Well, Todd has a few younger sisters, and he couldn't leave them behind to fend for themselves. So he packed them and himself up, and they got on a plane to the States. By that point, my parents had realized that we weren't going to give up. We really wanted to be together. And when he and his sisters showed up on our front doorstep, my parents relented, and they allowed Todd and his sisters to live with us. I was an only child anyway, so it wasn't that much of a strain. My parents had always wanted more kids, but never had any, and they took instantly to Todd's sisters. So, for a few months before things got bad in the US, we became a happy little family. Then my parents fell ill with the virus. They were gone within days," Lysette recalled, her eyes filling with tears.

"It devastated all of us, especially the girls. They had grown so attached to my parents. My dad left all his money to me in his will. I realized things weren't going to get any better where we were, and there was nowhere to run, really. So I started do a little research and found out that there was still lots of open countryside down here and that the virus hadn't was very widespread down here yet. I booked a flight for all of us, and we left. We found the farm the first day we were here and made a deal with Alice and Ellie's parents, room and food in exchange for us working for them." By now tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Why did you and Todd break up, then?" Tai-San said, still not understanding.

"Do you realize how hard it is to suddenly be a parent to three little girls when you're barely an adult yourself?" Lysette said, wiping her eyes with a napkin. "It's hard. And Todd and I don't exactly agree when it comes to child-rearing. It just started to take a toll on our relationship after a while. We were constantly arguing, and there were a lot of times when we just wouldn't speak for days on end. It's just better off this way. I like it here." Lysette's voice wavered, and she buried her head in her arms on the table, sobbing. "The girls probably think I abandoned them! I'm a horrible mother! No matter how bad things get, I have to stick around for their sake! I should, right?"

"Things will be okay," Tai-San said, putting her arm around the girl. "I'm sure your little girls don't think you've abandoned them. And I don't think Todd would allow them to think that, if he's a decent parent at all."

"Stacy and Claire will understand, because they're old enough to. But Sydney won't. She's only three, Tai-San," Lysette said. "Todd and I have tried so hard to give all three of them some sort of a normal life in spite of the virus. This just destroys that completely."

"There is no such thing as normal, Lysette," Tai-San said, patting her on the back. "Each of us has our own perception of what is normal. Your leaving may not faze Sydney the slightest bit. You can never be sure." Lysette wiped her eyes, trying to calm down a bit.

"Well . . . how is Ellie doing? Is she any better?" Lysette asked, changing the subject.

"The last I heard she still hadn't woken up. Dal and TaiRon are afraid that if she doesn't wake up soon, that might mean there's an infection or something else is wrong," Tai-San replied.

"Poor Jack . . . I know he must be worried sick right now," Lysette said.

"Dal gave him a sedative earlier to make him sleep for a little while. He still won't eat, though. He blames himself for her illness," Tai-San responded. "He's upstairs. I'm supposed to go check on him, but you can go if you want."

"I think I will. At least it will give me something to do," Lysette said. "I'll see you later, Tai." She got up and walked out of the room quietly.

* * *

"Ellie, please, you've got to wake up," Ellie could hear Alice saying. Ellie tried to move her mouth to speak or just open her eyes, but she could. Her entire body felt as though it were weighted down by tons of lead. She couldn't move a muscle. She had no way of letting Alice know that she was awake and okay. Her mind frantically tried to think of something, some way to make a noise or movement, but it was useless. She was too weak. She finally drifted back off to sleep, still hearing Alice pleading to her in the distance.

Suddenly, Ellie opened her eyes and looked around. She was on a darkened stage with only one light, a spotlight pointed on her. She was wearing a soft pink leotard and ballet slippers. She could see her parents out in the audience. She realized that she was at her ballet audition for the New Zealand Royal Ballet. An audition that had taken place a few weeks before the virus hit.

"Please begin, Miss Taylor," she heard a hidden person say. She nodded and walked over to the stereo, putting her tape in and pushing play. She walked to center stage and put her feet in third position, her arms in _bras bas_. The music began.

_My lullaby, hung out to dry . . . what's up with that . . . it's over . . . where are you Dad . . . Mum's looking sad . . . what's up with that . . . it's dark in here . . ._

Ellie pirouetted across the stage, into an _arabesque penchee_, followed by a _grand plie_. She did several _sautes_ ending in a _demi-plie_. She began to pirouette again.

_Why, bleeding is breathing . . . you're hiding, underneath the smoke in the room . . . try, bleeding is believing . . . I used to . . . I used to . . ._

Ellie found that she couldn't stop pirouetting. As the room spun around and around, she realized that she was standing completely still, and in fact, the room itself was spinning. She could hear her mother calling out to her.

"Ellie, go back! It's not time for you to leave Alice and the others yet! It is not time for you to be with your father and me yet! Go back home!" she heard her mother call.

"I can't! I don't want to go back! I want to be with you and Pa!" Ellie responded. "I want to stay here! It's safe here!"

"You must go back, Ellie!" her father pleaded. "Your sister needs you! Your friends need you! Go back!"

"No!" Ellie exclaimed loudly, her eyes flying open as she sat up in bed. Alice looked at her, startled. Ellie looked around. She was in the hospital room again. Alice sat beside her on a stool, while Todd stood leaning against the wall with his eyes closed.

"Ellie?"

* * *

Lysette stepped carefully into Jack's room. He was fast asleep in his bed, lying on his back with his mouth wide open. She laughed silently as he breathed in, making a soft popping noise. She crept over to his computer and sat down, about to play solitaire when she heard a voice.

"Touch the computer and you die," Jack murmured.

"You're supposed to be sleeping," she said, smiling.

"With all the things on my mind, you honestly thought a little sleeping pill was going to knock me out?" he responded. "I was only pretending to sleep, in case you were Dal or Tai-San. I didn't feel like getting fussed at."

"Oh, and was the popping noise part of the act?" she asked, turning to face him as he sat up in bed. He gave her an astonished look.

"I was not making a popping noise, Lys," he said defensively, turning red.

"Yes, you were," she said, giggling.

"Whatever," he said, looking annoyed and embarrassed.

"What-ever!" she exclaimed in a valley girl voice, putting her fingers in the shape of a 'W'. Jack gave her a pleading look. "Come on, Jack. You can't keep blaming yourself for Ellie's illness. It's not your fault."

"Why are you so determined to cheer me up?" he asked.

"Because you cheered me up when I first came here after Todd and I broke up. I want to return the favor," she answered. "Besides, you're my best friend, and best friends are supposed to cheer each other up when they're down."

"Well, thanks, Lysette. But I don't think it's going to work," he said.

"I hate seeing you like this, Jack," she said.

"Don't you think I hate feeling like this?" Jack retorted, pulling his t-shirt on. "I can't sleep, I can't eat. All I can think about is Ellie, and how she wouldn't have resorted to cutting herself if I hadn't broken up with her and we hadn't gotten into that stupid food fight at the wedding. I'm so stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!" He banged his head against the wall three times, hitting it pretty hard the third time. "Ow!" he yelped, rubbing his forehead. Lysette ran over to him.

"Are you alright?" she said, looking at his forehead. A large knot was forming. "Ooo . . . you're going to have a nasty bruise. Wait here a second. I'll go see if I can find anything to stop the swelling." She ran out of the room, and returned a few minutes later with a compress. "Here, put this on it." Jack sniffed at it. It smelled like old gym socks.

"I'm not putting this on my head. It smells!" he exclaimed, trying to hand it back to her. She shoved it back to him.

"It's some herbs Tai-San gave me. They'll keep it from swelling so much. Just do it, okay?" she insisted. Jack rolled his eyes, reluctantly putting the compress on his head. "Are you always this difficult?"

"No," he replied. He scooted back on his bed, leaning against the wall. He closed his eyes, sighing loudly.

"Alright, you. I've had enough of your moping. Get your shoes on. We're going to get out of this place for a little while, and maybe get your mind off Ellie for a bit," Lysette ordered.

"And if I refuse?" he said.

"I will drag you out of here kicking and screaming if I have to. I'm stronger than I look," she said.

"I'll believe than when I see it," he said sarcastically. She smacked him playfully on the arm.

"Don't make me have to hurt you, Jack," she said, grinning. "Come on. It'll be fun. I think you need to give your mind a rest for a little while. Please?" She looked at him with puppy dog eyes.

"Oh, alright. But only because I don't want to get beaten up by a girl," he said teasingly.

"Great! Meet me in the café!" she said happily, scurrying out of the room. Jack smiled for the first time in the past couple of days as he pulled his boots on and laced them up.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . . **_


	19. Chunk 19: Sections 91 thru 95

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 19: Sections 91 thru 95**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

This chunk ushers in the start of my three top favorite pairings of the story. I hope you like them as much as I do!

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 91 thru 95

* * *

Lysette linked her fingers through Jack's as she led him down the street. They walked past building after building, and Jack was starting to wonder where they were heading. Suddenly they stopped in front of the hospital.

"Here we are," she said, smiling.

"You brought me to the hospital to cheer me up?" Jack asked in disbelief, staring up at the building. "That's morbid!"

"No, I brought you to see Ellie," Lysette responded. "TaiRon came by the mall a little while ago to let us know that Ellie had woken up, and she was asking for you. I think you'll feel better once you see her."

"Alright," he said, giving her a strange look. "I don't know how it's going to make me feel better, seeing as it's my fault that she's hurt herself, but alright."

"Just follow me, Mr. Sad Sack," Lysette said, walking off. Jack sighed loudly, following her into the building. They went up the stairs to the second floor, where Ellie was. Walking down the hallway, Jack latched on to Lysette's hand nervously. She smiled at him reassuringly, even though she was just as nervous as he was. The first thing she saw when they walked up was Todd sitting outside the room with Alice.

"Jack, Lysette, hi," Alice greeted them, standing up and hugging both of them. Lysette and Todd avoided making eye contact with each other.

"You must be Lysette's friend, Todd," Jack said, putting his hand out.

"And you must be Jack. You're all Ellie ever talks about," Todd said, standing up and shaking Jack's hand politely. Jack looked back over at Alice.

"How is she doing?" he asked.

"She's awake, finally. Dal's checking her out right now to make sure she's okay. You can go in and see her if you want, once he's done," Alice said, smiling in relief.

"That's good to hear. She really had everybody back at the mall worried," Jack said. The door opened, and Dal walked out.

"She seems to be okay, aside from the cuts on her arms. But those will heal," Dal said. "You can go see her now, if you want."

"Jack, you go see her by yourself, okay? I'm starving. I'm going to go get some food," Alice said. "Todd, Lysette, do you want anything to eat?" They both shook their heads, still trying not to look at each other. "Alright, I'll be back in a few minutes." Alice and Dal walked off. Jack looked over at Lysette.

"Will you be okay out here for a few minutes?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, Jack. Don't worry," Lysette said, quietly. "You just go talk to Ellie." She smiled at him. Jack nodded and walked into the room, closing the door behind him. Todd sat back down, crossing his arms over his chest. Lysette just stood there, looking off down the hallway at nothing.

"Hi," Todd said hesitantly, still not daring to look at her.

"Hi," she responded.

"How have you been, Lysette?" he asked, looking at her. She had her back to him.

"Oh, I'm fine. Doing great," she answered, forcing a smile, turning to look at him, "You?"

"Things are okay. Been working a lot at the farm. It's almost harvest time, you know," he said politely. Their eyes finally met. "So, you and that Jack-bloke seem pretty close."

"We're just friends, that's all. He's been a good friend to me the past couple of weeks," she snapped at him defensively.

"Okay," he said slowly, startled by her reaction to his remark. "You've been feeling okay? No panic attacks or anything?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, aside from feeling a little nauseous. My stomach's been a little irritable the past couple of weeks," she replied. His brown eyes looked at her stonily, and she couldn't tell what he was thinking. "How are the girls?"

"They're fine. They just miss you, that's all. Especially Sydney. She doesn't understand why you left," he said.

"Well, of course she wouldn't. She's only three. She's not going to understand things like that," she commented. "But I would like to see them from time to time."

"Alright. Well, I'll see what I can do. And you're always welcome to come out to the farm and visit them," he responded. Lysette's stomach started to feel like it was on a roller coaster. She put her hand over her mouth, feeling like she was about to be sick. Todd couldn't help but notice.

"Are you okay, Lys? You look a little green," Todd inquired.

"I don't feel so good. Where's the bathroom?" she asked.

"Down the hall, to the right," he directed, pointing. Lysette took off running, her hand still over her mouth. Todd sat back again.

* * *

"Ellie?" Jack said, stepping into the room. He closed the door quietly. Ellie lay in the hospital bed with her eyes closed. "Ellie?" She opened her eyes slowly. She looked at him and smiled.

"Hi, Jack," she responded softly. Jack walked over to the bed, taking one of her hands in his.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Like I've been run over by a mack truck," she said. Jack smiled. "But I'm happy to see you."

"Well, I'm happy to see that you're okay," Jack said. "You really scared everyone, pulling a stunt like that." She looked so little and helpless laying the bed, surrounded by pillows and blankets.

"I didn't mean to cut myself that badly. Todd knocked on the door and startled me as I was doing it, and I jumped, and the razor went a little deeper than I intended," she said. "I wasn't trying to kill myself, Jack. Really."

"I know you weren't. But you're hurting yourself. Why?" he asked.

"I just feel so miserable," Ellie said, her eyes filling with tears. "I hate living at the farm. I always did. And having to leave you behind only made it worse. I'm just so sick of Alice and everyone making decisions for me. It's my life. I should be making my own choices. I'm old enough to."

"So you chose to cut yourself?" Jack responded.

"It eased the pain a little. But the more miserable I felt, the more I would cut, and after a while, cutting just once didn't ease the pain. So I would cut myself several times, and the pain would subside," Ellie said. The more she talked, the more Jack realized her problem wasn't his fault at all. Her problem wasn't even the lack of control she had in her life or anything else. It was just all in her head. Things weren't as bad as she thought they were.

"But cutting only eases your pain temporarily. You should have just talked to someone about how you were feeling. It would have been much better than slicing yourself up, Ellie," he said.

"At least I finally have control over my life now. Alice and Todd said that whatever I want to do once I'm better is fine with them. I'm hoping Alice will let me come back to the mall," Ellie said, smiling. "And we can be together again. If she doesn't, then I'll just refuse to stop cutting myself." Jack's eyes widened in shock.

"No way. You need to stop cutting yourself for your own good, not because you want Alice to let you come back to the mall. You have to stop cutting because you want to, not because of me. I'm not going to be your crutch, Ellie," he said.

"But I want to stop cutting for myself," she insisted, her lip quivering as she started to cry.

"No, you want to stop cutting because you think that if you do, Alice will let you have your way. That's not the way it works, Ell. You can't keep hurting yourself every time Alice disciplines you or keeps you from doing something that's not good for you. It's not right, and it's not healthy," Jack said. "You almost killed yourself once doing that. I'm not going to let you do it again. Especially not because of me. I'm not worth it."

"What are you saying, Jack?" Ellie asked, pulling her hand away from him.

"I'm saying that I'm not worth hurting yourself over. And to prove it, I'm breaking up with you," he replied. "It's what I should have done in the first place. Maybe if I had, none of this would have happened. Either way, you need to get better. And you have to do it without me; otherwise we both know you won't do it at all." She sat there crying silently. "You have to learn to be strong again, find yourself again. I can't keep being your excuse for everything you do, and I can't go on being the center of your life anymore. I'm sorry, Ellie."

"No, you're not. You just want out because you don't love me anymore, and this is the perfect excuse," she snarled angrily.

"That's not true. I do love you. That's why I'm doing this. You have to get better, Ellie, and I'm not helping you do that by staying with you. I have to do this," he said, backing away toward the door.

"Fine! Break up with me if you want! But don't come crawling back when you come to your senses! Because I don't love you either!" she yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her words stung, and he bit his lip, trying to stay calm and keep a level head.

"Don't say things you don't mean, Ellie. You'll only regret them later," he said, trying not to cry. "I love you, Ell. Don't ever forget that. And someday, I hope you'll understand why I'm doing this. Good-bye." He opened the door and stepped out.

"Screw you!" was the last thing she screamed before he shut the door. He turned to look at Todd. Todd had a shocked look on his face.

"What did you say to her?" Todd asked.

"I just broke up with her. She's got to get better, and the only way she's going to do it is without me in the way. I know that, you know that, and so does she," Jack said, walking over to him shakily.

"Yeah," Todd agreed. He stood up. "I'll go see if I can calm her down."

"Where's Lysette?" Jack asked.

"She's in the bathroom. I think she's throwing up," Todd said, putting his hand on the doorknob to Ellie's room. He stopped for a moment, turning back to face Jack. "Be kind to Lysette. She may seem like she has nerves of steel and she's strong, but it's very easy to break her heart. I should know. But she deserves to be happy, and she needs a friend. So just be good to her, okay?"

"I will, don't worry. And take care of Ellie for me," Jack responded. They smiled at each other for a briefly before walking off in opposite directions.

* * *

"Lysette?" Jack said, knocking on the door to the bathroom. No response. "Lysette?" Still no answer. Cautiously, Jack opened the door and walked inside. He could hear her sniffling in one of the stalls. He walked along, bent over to look underneath each of them. In the very last stall, he could see her Doc Marten-clad feet. He knocked on the stall door. "Can I come in?" He heard the door unlock, and he pushed it open. Lysette sat on the floor, curled up in a ball, crying and shivering. Jack knelt down beside her.

"Are you okay? Todd told me you got sick," Jack asked, a concerned expression on his face. She just cried harder. Jack sat down beside her and put his arm around her, holding her as she sobbed.

"I'm so scared, Jack," she whispered, laying her head against his chest.

"Scared of what?" he asked, stroking her hair gently.

"I've been denying for the past couple of weeks, but all the signs are there. Nausea, throwing up, weight gain, cravings, eating more than usual, and three skipped periods," she said. "I can't keep acting like it doesn't exist. For better or worse, I'm pregnant, Jack. And I'm just so scared." Jack's eyes widened momentarily at what she said, as she cried again.

"Shhh . . . it's okay. It's okay, Lys. A baby is not a bad thing," he said.

"It is when you're barely on speaking terms with the father and not actually with him anymore," she moaned. "I don't know how I'm going to tell him. I don't want him thinking that he has to be with me just because I'm having his baby. I'm not even sure if I want to be with him, regardless of the baby."

"Well, then don't tell him," Jack said soothingly, rocking his best friend in his arms.

"What? He has the right to know. Besides, he would eventually find out anyway," she responded in disbelief. "There's no way around it, Jack. I'm stuck." The wheels were already turning in Jack's head. She was his best friend, and he would do anything to protect her.

"There is a way around it. It's not like you're going to be seeing him that much. It wouldn't be that hard to hide. And you don't even have to hide it if you don't want to," Jack said.

"What are you saying, Jack? You're not making any sense," she questioned.

"Tell him you're pregnant, but tell him I'm the father," he answered. Lysette stopped crying and turned to face him, wiping her eyes.

"No way! I'm not going to let you do that! What would everyone think? Especially Ellie? She would be heartbroken!" Lysette exclaimed. "Besides, this is my problem. I don't want to drag you into it."

"But you're not dragging me into it. I want to do this. Anyway, Ellie and I broke up, so I don't care what she thinks," Jack said.

"Liar! You want her to think that I'm pregnant with your baby so she'll get over you faster! This has nothing to do with me. You're not offering because you care about me!" Lysette argued.

"Now that's not true. I really don't care what Ellie thinks. Besides, it'll be awhile before we see her again either, so it wouldn't matter. She'll probably have moved on by then. And who says I don't care about you?" Jack said. "You're my best friend, Lys. You know I would do anything to help you out. I love you." He touched her cheek gently. "Please, let me do this. I want to." Lysette closed her eyes, thinking for a moment. "Please?" Lysette screwed her face up, opening her eyes.

"Alright. We'll do it. But what are we going to tell the Mall Rats?" Lysette asked.

"The same thing that we're going to tell Todd and Ellie. That you're pregnant with my baby," Jack answered.

"And I'm three months along? You and I have only known each other for a month, Jack. What about that?" she inquired.

"Umm . . . we'll just say that you're only a month along. No one will know the difference, except for Dal. Cause no matter what you say, he's going to be your doctor, because I know he'll keep his trap shut," Jack suggested.

"But then it will look like you were cheating on Ellie for the entire month that you were still together after she left. Do you really want everyone to think that?" she said.

"I can handle that. I don't really care what anyone thinks. I just want to help you," he said. Lysette closed her eyes, laughing quietly.

"You are a piece of work, you know that? You are absolutely amazing, the best. No normal guy would do anything like this," she said, scratching her forehead.

"But I'm not any normal guy. I'm Jack, your best friend," he said, grinning. "And now, your boyfriend and the father of your baby." He kissed her on the forehead. She smiled at him gratefully.

"Thank you, Jack," she said, hugging him tightly. "I hope you won't regret this."

"I hope you won't either. But as long as we stick together and keep our stories straight, we'll be fine," he said. "Now why don't we head back to the mall? You need to get some rest, and so do I. It's been a long day." She nodded silently, and he helped her up. They walked hand-in-hand back to the mall.

* * *

Lysette sat quietly next to Jack in the café while everyone ate. She picked at her food with a fork. Aside from feeling nauseated, she was very apprehensive about telling everyone about the baby. She had no idea how they would react or what they would say. And she couldn't help hoping that no one would suspect the truth about who the father really was. Jack smiled at her reassuringly, holding her left hand in his.

"It'll be fine," he whispered to her soothingly. "I promise, these guys won't bite. And they won't be mad at you." She smiled back halfheartedly at him.

Amber and Bray sat across the table from them with little Michael, feeding him and eating their own food intermittently. Amber had noticed Lysette and Jack's closeness, as well as Lysette's change in appetite. She wasn't stupid. It wasn't all that hard to figure out what was wrong. She was just waiting, trying to give them the chance to come clean about it on their own, rather than just asking bluntly.

"Are you feeling okay, Lysette? You've barely touched your food," Bray inquired. Lysette's eyes widened as her face turned a bright shade of red. She looked like a mouse caught in a mouse trap, all frightened.

"I - I'm fine," she said in a very quiet voice, looking down at her food. She slyly looked over at Jack, only moving her eyes, biting her lower lip anxiously. Jack nodded slightly. He stood up, Lysette's hand still clasped in his own.

"Guys, I have an announcement to make. Actually, we, that is Lysette and I, have an announcement to make," Jack said. Everyone's eyes turned to them, and Lysette felt like she was under a microscope, the way they were looking at her with such curiosity. "I doubt any of you know this, but Lysette and I have been seeing each other secretly for the past month. And not only have we fallen in love, but she's pregnant." He paused for a moment. "With my baby." Everyone just stared at him in disbelief. "That's all I needed to say." He sat back down beside Lysette.

Everyone sat in complete silence for several minutes, no one saying anything, just letting it sink in. Lysette could feel everyone's eyes on her, and it made her uncomfortable. Amber was actually the only one other than Jack that was smiling. She didn't want to know what they all thought. She just felt like curling up in a ball in her bed. Tears filling her eyes, she clamped her hand over her mouth and ran out of the room.

"Lysette!" Jack called to her. He got up to run after her, but Amber stopped him.

"Let me go talk to her, okay?" Amber said. Jack nodded, sitting back down as Amber left the room. She walked down the hallway to the room that Lysette shared with Sienna. Lysette was curled up in the middle of her bed, crying. "Is it alright if I come in?" There was no answer. Amber walked into the room and sat down gently on the bed beside Lysette. "It's okay, Lys," she said, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"No, it's not!" Lysette exclaimed. "I can only imagine what they must be thinking about me right now. 'Oh, what a slut. She messed around with a guy that already had a girlfriend and got herself pregnant.' And it's not true! I did nothing wrong!"

"For starters, they don't think that. And even if they did, none of them are mean enough to say that. And for seconds, why don't you tell me what the truth really is?" Amber responded.

"The truth is that Jack and I really are in love, and this baby is his. He and Ellie were never entirely together after she left, so it wasn't exactly cheating," Lysette said softly.

"And are you always so quick to believe that people think badly of you?" Amber asked.

"No," Lysette said defensively. "I just don't trust people very easily. And I can't stand silence. They just sat there and said nothing. That's worse than anything bad they could have said."

"Silence can be a little mind-numbing, but it's not always bad. They were just shocked. I mean it was like you announced that you and Jack had eloped and didn't care what anyone thought about it. It's hard to think of something to say. Because there is nothing to say. There's nothing you can do to change it. It's done and over with, and in yours and Jack's case, this baby is coming," Amber said.

"How do you feel about it?" Lysette asked, sitting up and drying her eyes.

"I think it's wonderful. Babies are wonderful things. New life is always happy news. And I'm sure the others feel the same, they just didn't know how to say it," Amber replied.

"Really?" Lysette said.

"Really. And I think you and Jack are good for each other. I've seen him smile more in the past month that he's known you than I have in the entire time I've known him. You make him happy, and that's what's important," Amber said, putting her arm around Lysette's shoulders and giving her a squeeze. Zandra walked hesitantly into the room.

"Bray wanted me to come and make sure everything was okay," Zandra said.

"We're fine, Zan," Amber said, smiling.

"And, congratulations, Lysette. Jack's a great guy," Zandra said, coming over and giving Lysette a hug.

"Thanks, Zandra," Lysette responded.

"Hungry at all?" Amber asked her.

"A bit," Lysette admitted.

"I'll go make us some soup, and then we can hang out and gossip for a little while," Zandra offered.

"Sounds good," Lysette said. Amber nodded in agreement. Zandra walked out of the room to go make the soup.

"Things are going to be alright," Amber said. Lysette just smiled.

* * *

Everyone had left the café to get ready for bed. Zandra rustled around in the food store, looking for the can of chicken noodle soup she had seen the other day. It still seemed strange that Jack was going to be a father in about nine months. Everyone was growing up faster than they wanted, and it was scary. She stepped back from the cabinet, looking at the upper shelves. On the very top shelf sat a single can of chicken noodle soup, where she couldn't reach it.

Zandra looked around the café. The ladder was leaning against the wall nearby, and Ryan and Lex sat on the other side of the room talking. She had two choices. She could get one of the boys to get the can for her, or she could climb up the 4-foot ladder herself and get the can. Knowing Lex, he would refuse, and knowing Ryan, he would jump to do it for her. She didn't want Ryan doing anything for her. She refused to be accused of using Ryan again. She was an adult now, a mother. She could do anything and everything on her own. She marched over and grabbed the ladder, taking it back to the cabinet. As she set up the ladder, Lex left the room, and Ryan came over to the sink nearby.

"So, how's Lexi?" Ryan asked, trying to start up a conversation. "Is she finally sleeping through the night?" Zandra climbed up the ladder slowly.

"Yeah. I'm actually getting a full-night's sleep now, for the first time in months," she said wearily. "It's so nice." She climbed up the ladder and reached for the can. Even on tip-toe, she still couldn't get to it. It was too far back on the shelf. The ladder started to wobble as she stretched up. "Ry-aan!" she screamed as she fell backwards. Ryan raced over and caught her before she met the floor. He held her for a moment as they stared at each other, breathless.

"Are you okay, Zan?" he asked, looking intently at her. Her curly blonde hair fell softly about her shoulders, and she wore a turquoise turtleneck sweater that, despite looking like something the old Zandra wouldn't have worn, looked pretty on her.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm just a bit shaken," she replied, gazing into his eyes. She had never noticed before how incredible looking he really was, with his blue eyes, white blond hair, and muscular physique. She couldn't help wondering what had taken her so long to notice him. "Thanks, Ryan." He still hadn't put her down on the floor. Something about holding her in his arms felt so right, and he couldn't explain it. All he knew right then was that he had never gotten over her, and he never really would.

"No problem," he said quietly, lowering her feet to the ground. His arms stayed gently wrapped around her waist. He brushed a strand of her hair off of her face, letting his hand fall under her chin. Leaning toward her, he tenderly kissed her. And he was surprised to find that she kissed him back. She had her arms wrapped around his neck, running her fingers through his hair as they continued to kiss. He stopped for a moment, looking at her strangely. Then they kissed again. Zandra pushed away, gasping for air.

"I have to go back to Lysette's room. I promised her and Amber we would hang out for a little while," she said. "They'll be wondering where I am." She kissed him once more. "Don't tell anyone."

"I won't if you won't," he said. He kissed her on the forehead, and she walked out of the room feeling like she was on cloud 9. _(He-he - sorry for the pun - couldn't help it!)_

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . .**_


	20. Chunk 20: Sections 96 thru 100

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 20: Sections 96 thru 100**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 96 thru 100

* * *

Zandra wandered back into Lysette's room, starry-eyed, and sat down in a nearby chair. Lysette and Amber were sitting on Lysette's bed looking through a magazine about babies. They both looked up when she came into the room, puzzled by her strange behavior. Lysette gave Amber a questioning look, and Amber shrugged her shoulders in response. Amber closed the magazine and walked over to Zandra.

"Are you okay?" Amber said, waving her hand in front of Zandra's eyes to get her attention.

"I'm fine. How are you doing?" Zandra said happily, sighing in contentment.

"I'm okay, Zan," Amber said, giving her a bewildered look. "Zandra, did you forget something in the café?"

"No," she responded, still lost in her own world.

"The soup, Zan, the soup!" Amber exclaimed in frustration. Lysette started to laugh. Something was on Zandra's mind, and it wasn't the soup. She couldn't help wondering if Lex was the guy on Zan's mind or if it was someone else. Zandra blinked a couple of times, and then snapped out of her trance.

"Oh, no! I'm sorry!" Zandra exclaimed, jumping out of the chair. "I totally forgot! I'll go make it now!"

"That might be a good idea. And try not to forget this time!" Amber called after her as she scurried out of the room. As Zandra walked back toward the café, it started to sink it what she had done a few minutes ago. She had kissed Ryan. She had cheated on Lex, which was something she swore she'd never do. She felt the blood rush up to her cheeks as she blushed in embarrassment. What if Lex found out?

She walked into the café, stopping in the doorway when she saw Ryan. He was sitting at a table with his head in his hands, obviously feeling just as guilty as she was. Zandra thought quickly. She could just turn around and go back to Lysette's room, but then she would have to come up with some excuse as to why she didn't make the soup, and she really didn't feel like having to explain herself to Amber or Lysette. Huffing loudly, she stomped into the room and climbed up the ladder, reaching for the soup can again. Ryan heard her and looked up, seeing her struggle to grasp the can.

"Let me get that for you," he offered, getting up and walking over to the ladder.

"No! I can do it myself!" she snapped.

"Obviously you can't reach it! I don't want you almost hurting yourself again, so get down from there at let me get it!" he insisted.

"No!" she shouted. "Besides, what do you care if I get hurt?"

"Zandra!" he growled. She looked at him defiantly.

"No!" she responded, tears filling her eyes. Ryan started chuckling, his frown fading.

"Do you realize how ridiculous we sound arguing about this? Just come down from the ladder. I'll get the can for you. Please?" he said, smiling. Zandra sighed loudly and climbed down the ladder. Ryan scaled the ladder and quickly retrieved the can. He climbed back down the ladder and handed it to her. They stared at each other for a moment.

"We can't do this, you know that," she said finally.

"I know. You have Lex and Lexi. And I'm married to Salene. It just isn't possible. Maybe in another time, or another place, if Sal and Lex and the kids weren't in the way, I'd like for this to happen. But not now," Ryan agreed. "It's not that I don't care about you, Zan. You know I do. I always have." He put his arms around her and held her to him, as she laid her head on his chest.

"Why didn't this happen sooner?" she said irritatedly. "It's not fair."

"No, it's not," he replied, kissing the top of her head. "Maybe someday we'll be able to be together."

"Yeah, when we're old and decrepit," she said sarcastically, looking up at him. Tears filled her eyes again. "Best friends?"

"Always," he said.

"And no one can ever know," she said.

"No one," he responded. She touched his cheek gently, and he closed his eyes.

"Here's to someday," she whispered, kissing him gently on the lips. Then she stepped back, trying to hold back her tears. "Go, please, before I beg to you change your mind." He touched her hair, smiling, then walked out of the room. Zandra walked over to the sink, putting the can down on the counter. Leaning against the counter, she started to sob.

* * *

The next morning, everyone sat around the café, silently eating breakfast. Zandra kept herself busy waiting on everyone hand-and-foot, trying to keep her mind off her broken heart for a little while. Lysette and Jack had already eaten and were busy moving her stuff into his room. Amber, Lysette, and Zandra had stayed up late into the night, talking about everything from the Chosen to feeding schedules for the babies.

"Zan, can I have some more coffee?" Ryan asked quietly, stopping her as she walked past.

"Alright," she said coldly. "Just a second. I need to take the butter to Dal."

"Okay," he responded kindly as she walked off. He hated seeing her so miserable and knowing he was to blame. He ached to hold her again. She wasn't the only one suffering from a broken heart.

"Ryan? Earth to Ryan!" Salene snapped her fingers in his face, and he looked over at her.

"Huh?" he murmured.

"Can you please take Kina and go change her? She spit up all over her shirt," Salene requested.

"Yeah, sure," he answered. "Come to Daddy, little angel." He took his infant daughter from Salene and walked out of the café. Zandra's eyes followed him from across the room as he left. She slammed the butter tray down on the table.

"Whoa! What's wrong, Zan?" Dal asked in concern, noting Zandra's irritability.

"Nothing. I'm sick of waiting on everyone. Get your own damn butter," she muttered and stomped out of the room. Dal looked over as Tzara. She gave him a puzzled look. Dal shrugged his shoulders and then sliced the butter.

Zandra flopped down onto her bed, laying there and staring up at the ceiling. How in the world had it come to this? She was in a hopeless, horrible marriage, she was an orphan, and she couldn't be with the guy she really loved. The only thing she really had going for her was Lexi. Lexi was the only reason Zandra even kept living anymore.

Sighing loudly, she got up and walked down to the nursery to go check on Lexi. Ryan was already in the room, putting clean clothes on Kina. Rolling her eyes, she walked into the room, over to Lexi's crib. Lexi was still fast asleep, sucking on a pacifier. Zandra pulled the blanket back up over her, smiling at the little girl.

"There you go, angel. All nice and clean again," Ryan said, cradling Kina in his arms. She looked up at him and giggled. Ryan kissed her on the forehead. Zandra watched them out of the corner of her eye as Ryan put Kina in her crib.

"Zan, can I have some more coffee?" she grumbled angrily to herself. "I'm not your servant, Ryan."

"What?" Ryan said, turning around. "I never said you were. Where'd you get that idea?" He gave her a strange look.

"Oh, Zan, will you get this for me? Oh, Zan, can I just stomp all over your heart and treat you like and unwanted pet? You make me sick," she said hostilely. She turned to walk out of the room.

"You're not the only one hurting about this, you know!" he retorted. Zandra stopped in her tracks and turned to face him again.

"Oh, that's a laugh! You seem to forget, you're in love with two girls, one of which you're married to. I stopped loving Lex a long time ago, I mean, really loving him," she countered. She gave him a dirty look. "Don't expect me to feel sorry for you, Ryan. This was your choice."

"Maybe. But you were the one who brought it up! I had been thinking about just letting it slide," he said.

"What, so I can be your mistress? Oh, what an honor that is?!" she shouted. "Don't flatter yourself. I want more from you than that."

"Oh, you do? Then why did you push me away?" he asked.

"Out of self-respect. I'm better than Lex. I'm not the cheating kind, and I won't allow you to be either. Sal trusts me. I won't betray that, you big oaf!" she answered.

"Who are you calling a big oaf, you string bean!" he spat back.

"Ooo, you!" she growled. She ran at him and jumped, knocking him to the ground. He smacked his head on the base of Kina's crib.

"Ow!" he yelped.

"Sorry!" Zandra said, instantly feeling bad. "I didn't mean to hurt you!" Ryan rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, you did," he said sarcastically. Zandra lay on top of him, a concerned expression on her face. She looked really pretty again that day.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I think so," he replied, nodding. They stared at each other for a second, then kissed. They rolled over to where Zandra was on her back. When Ryan finally pulled away, they were both gasping for breath.

"That's not going to happen again," Ryan said solemnly. Zandra nodded, getting up off the floor.

"Never again," she said quickly. "Well . . . I have to go."

"Me, too." They stared at each other uncomfortably, and then hurried off in opposite directions.

* * *

"Wakey-wakey!" Todd exclaimed, walking into Ellie's bedroom that morning and opening the curtains. Sunshine streamed into the room, hitting Ellie on the face. She groaned, turning her face away. "No way! You're getting up, princess!" He pulled the blanket off her, revealing the restraints that held her to the bed. She kept trying to run away from the farm, so Alice and Dal had decided it would be in her best interest if they strapped her to the bed to stop her from attempting to run off at all. Todd had been stuck with watching her 24 hours a day for almost five days.

"Go away," Ellie mumbled, trying to lift her hand so she could scratch her cheek. Suddenly, she remembered she couldn't. She opened her eyes and sat up. Todd was standing beside her bed with a stupid grin on his face. "I have to use the restroom."

"Alright, no problem," he said. He pulled a leash out of his pocket and attached one end to her and the other end to him. He undid the restraints, allowing her to stand up and stretch. Then they walked to the bathroom. Todd stood outside while Ellie did her business. She came out, giving him a dirty look. "Breakfast time, princess." She hated how cheery he was everyday. Didn't he ever frown? Wasn't he getting sick of looking after her all the time? If he was, he was certainly hiding it well.

As they sat down across from each other at the table in the kitchen, Ellie examined him. He wore a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans, and his sandy blond hair was spiky. He had a bandage on his forehead covering a wound that Ellie had inflicted on him in one of her escape attempts. He shoved a bowl of cereal at her. She picked up a spoon and took a bite of the cereal. She made a face and spit it out all over the place.

"Doing an impression from the Exorcist isn't going to work, Ellie. Eat," Todd said firmly, about to take a bite of his own cereal.

"The milk's sour!" she whined.

"Oh, really?" Todd took a bite of his cereal, and then took made a face, spitting the cereal back in the bowl. "Well, princess, I guess we're going to have to go get more milk. Come on." He stood up. Ellie got up and followed him outside to the barn. He grabbed a bucket and a stool, and then walked over to Marta. He ushered Ellie over to the stool and sat her down.

"What?" Ellie asked. "What do you want me to do?"

"She's your cow, Ell. You milk her," he said.

"No," Ellie said defiantly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I guess you're not that hungry today, then. That's fine. I'll just have to eat on my own," Todd said sarcastically. Ellie scowled at him.

"You're the fool who didn't notice the milk had gone bad. You should be the one milking her," she snarled.

"True, but she's your cow, and you've been shirking chores around here for weeks. It's time that stopped. I'm not going to baby you anymore and neither is Alice," he responded calmly. Ellie sighed loudly and rolled her eyes, then grabbed the bucket and started to milk Marta. "Now that's better, princess. You know, you'd make things so much easier on yourself if you would just stop fighting me all the time. I know what I'm doing, and I'm trying to help you get better."

"I'm not sick!" she snapped.

"Don't keep on believing that . . . it won't help you any," he said. Ellie flipped him off. "Oh, I didn't know you had such a wide range of vocabulary, princess. It even includes sign language." Ellie felt her blood starting to boil.

"Shut up and leave me the hell alone!" she screamed. "And stop calling me princess!"

"Not going to happen, Ellie," he said, smiling warmly before his expression changed to a stern one. "Now keep milking." Ellie looked back at the cow and started milking again. She hated him. Absolutely hated him.

* * *

Lysette sat on the bed in hers and Jack's room watching him unpack a box. Alice had brought over the remainder of Lysette's things earlier that afternoon, along with an update about Ellie's condition. Now Jack was trying to keep himself busy with unpacking to keep his mind off Ellie. She knew Jack was worried about Ellie, but she wasn't really sure how to help him. She wanted to help him so much it hurt inside. The fact that there were a couple of other things on her mind besides Ellie and Jack didn't help. She had a baby on the way to think about, and even if Jack didn't stick by her, she was determined to be a good mom. She didn't have any other choice.

"Jack, I'm going to go get a glass of water. Do you want anything?" she asked, standing up.

"Nah," was Jack's response. She walked out of the room and down to the café. As she walked, she started thinking about the whole Ellie-Jack situation, and she couldn't help feeling a little resentful of Ellie's behavior, even though Ellie was her other best friend. How in the world could she accuse Jack of not loving her? It was so untrue it wasn't even funny.

Lysette knew that if she had a guy that wonderful who cared about her that much, she would never accuse him of anything like that. She would never be so selfish. She cared about him too much. It was hard for her to explain. It was just how she felt. Jack was such an incredible person, and he didn't deserve that. If only he could see it. If only he could see her. He was an incredible person . . . suddenly, Lysette felt the words coming on. Everything she needed to say to him. She ran down the hall.

Lysette sat down at one of the tables and grabbed a napkin and a marker and started to write . . .

* * *

Amber walked into Jack and Lysette's room to find Jack sitting at the computer playing solitaire. She knocked on the door frame, not wanting to startle him. He shut the computer off and turned to face her.

"Can I help you with something?" he asked. Amber smiled warmly.

"Seems like you're the one that needs help, not me. What's up?" she responded, sitting down on the bed.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Jack said hollowly. "I'm just fine."

"Oh, yeah . . . and I'm Gandhi reincarnated. You seem awfully down for a guy who has a new love in his life and who is going to be a father in a few months," Amber observed. She paused for a moment. "You're still worried about Ellie, aren't you?"

"I'm worried about her mental health, if that's what you're asking. As far as anything else, amazingly . . . I could care less," Jack said. Amber raised her eyebrows. "It seems really strange to me. I thought I'd found the girl I wanted to spend forever with. But in the past weeks, I've been feeling like we're going off in two very different directions, Ellie and I. And the farther away I get, the more I see that she's not meant for me at all. Our two separate paths aren't leading back to each other. Ever. And while that makes me a little sad, in a way I feel so . . . relieved, for a lack of a better term."

"And why is that?" Amber inquired.

"Because I'm not the one having to take care of her anymore. I'm not having to deal with her crap. For the first time in months, I'm not holding my breath, just waiting for her to find something to get angry with me about. And that's so refreshing," he replied, smiling.

"So, where do you think this path is leading you next?" she asked.

"I think we both already know the answer to that one," he said. Amber grinned, knowing what he meant. "So, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find her. I think she said she was going to the café."

"Good luck, Jack," Amber said, squeezing him briefly before walking out of the room. "You deserve to be happy."

"Thanks," he said. They walked off in opposite directions. Jack walked down the hallway to the café, finding Lysette sitting at a table writing feverishly. He sat down beside her. She looked up from her writing, smiling.

"You okay?" Lysette asked, folding up the napkin she had been writing on and shoving it in her pocket. Jack had the goofiest look on his face, almost a cross between intense and happy. He reached over and touched her cheek gently. Pulling her to him, he kissed her softly.

"Now I'm okay," he said. Lysette smiled, and they kissed again.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . .**_


	21. Chunk 21: Sections 101 thru 105

**Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

**Chunk 21: Sections 101 thru 105**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 101 thru 105

* * *

Ellie sat curled up in a corner of the barn, sobbing. She unhooked the leash, sending it whizzing and snapping like a tape measure back to Todd. Its end popped Todd on the rear, grabbing his attention. He spun around.

"Ellie? Where are you?" Todd called out into the large barn. Ellie was nowhere to be seen. "Ellie?" He heard sniffling on the opposite side of the building. Trudging through the hay, he made his way over to an empty stall, searching for the source of the sound. "Ellie? Are you okay?" Todd opened the gate of the stall and found Ellie sitting there crying. He crouched down beside her.

"Just go away. Please," Ellie whispered pleadingly, her eyes puffy and red. She ran her fingers over the slowly healing wound on her arm. He put a hand on her shoulder. "I can't believe I did this to myself. I'm so stupid!"

"You're not stupid, princess. You're just hurting, that's all," he said, sitting down beside her. He put an arm around her as she sobbed into his chest. "You'll be okay. Things will get better with time, I promise."

"It's really over with me and Jack, isn't it?" she asked, though she knew the answer already.

"Well, you haven't seen him coming 'round, crawling back to you, have you?" he responded. She shook her head. "Then I think you know the answer." Ellie looked away, the tears trickling down her cheeks like perfect little rain drops.

"Will you help me get better, please?" she requested, looking him in the eye.

"I have been all along anyway, princess," he said, smiling. Then he wrapped his arms around her and let her cry a little longer.

* * *

"Alright, guys, someone has to go for water again," Bray said a couple of weeks later at breakfast. "Anyone want to volunteer?" He looked around the room at everyone. No hands went up. "Someone has to go, guys. Please?"

"I'll go," Zandra said suddenly. "Lex can look after Lexi for a little while. I don't mind. I kind of need a change of scenery for a little while, anyway."

"Well, that's one person. But Zandra can't go by herself, it's not safe. Anyone else?" Bray said. He looked around the room again, no one wanting to look him in the eye.

"I guess I'll go. Me and Zan should be able to bring enough water back just the two of us," Ryan said, sighing. "We'll just take the wheel barrow to carry all the jugs back."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Bray responded. "I suggest you head off right after breakfast, so you can get back late this afternoon, before dinner." Ryan and Zandra both nodded. "Now for other business . . ." As Bray continued to talk, Salene leaned over to her husband.

"You guys are probably going to miss lunch, so I'll make you a picnic lunch, okay?" she offered in a whisper.

"Alright. Are you sure you're going to be okay taking care of Kina and Jakob on your own today?" Ryan asked.

"I'll be fine. I've got the girls to help me if I need it. Just go. We need water pretty badly, so I think I can spare you for a few hours," she said, smiling. Ryan put an arm around her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Now, as for the clinic, it's going to be ready to open next week. Dal, TaiRon, Martin, and I have been talking, and we thought it kind of fitting to have a party to celebrate its opening. How do you all feel about this?" Bray said. Everyone chorused their agreement with the idea. "All the Mall Rats are invited, as well as Tribe Dorkus, and the kids out at the farm. And, Ebony, tell the rebels that they are more than welcome to come if they like. It will be a formal attire event, held next Friday. Well, I think that's about it for announcements for this morning, so I'll sit down, shut up, and enjoy my breakfast now." He smiled as he sat down next to Amber. Zandra finished up her breakfast and went to put Lexi down for her morning nap before she left.

"There you go, peaches. Be good for Daddy today, okay?" she said to her daughter. The little girl grinned and gurgled. Zandra tucked her in her crib with her teddy bear. She kissed Lexi on the forehead and then turned to leave the room. Ryan stood in the doorway watching her. Zandra walked over to Lexi's dresser and started to fold baby clothes. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing. I'm just wondering if you're ready to go yet," Ryan said quietly.

"Almost," Zandra replied.

"Salene's making us a picnic lunch," Ryan said.

"That's sweet of her. I'll have to thank her later," Zandra said airily.

"Zandra, don't forget that I'm still married," Ryan said.

"A fact that you've stated many times. I'm starting to wonder why," Zandra said sarcastically. "You forget that I'm married, too. And I'm not stupid." She walked past him. He caught her by the arm and pulled her back.

"I never said you were, Zan. I'm just trying to make it clear to you that nothing is going to happen today. Got it?" Ryan said, smiling. "Don't be so paranoid."

"I wasn't expecting anything to happen today, other than two good friends going to get water for the tribe," Zandra responded. "Now if you will excuse me, I have to go pack my knapsack." She pushed his hand off her arm and walked away.

* * *

Ryan stared at Zandra's back as they walked along the footpath to the reservoir. She was walking several feet in front of him, pushing the wheel barrow, and wouldn't speak to him. He sighed, looking at the map of the area that Bray had given him again. They were almost there. According to his watch, it was a little after ten a.m.

"Zan, stop!" he exclaimed. She stopped, putting the wheel barrow down, and turned to face him. She crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a strange look.

"What's wrong, Ryan?" she asked, obviously annoyed.

"Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to tell you that we're almost there, and we're making good time. We'll probably make it back to the mall well before supper," he replied, smiling.

"Is that it?" she said testily, tapping her foot. He nodded. Rolling her eyes, she turned back around and started pushing the wheel barrow again. Ryan followed suit and started walking again. They made their way down to the reservoir's shore, and Zandra rested the wheel barrow in the grass nearby. She tossed a jug to Ryan, and then grabbed one of her own, walking to the water's edge. She looked at Ryan.

"Come on! Let's get this done so we can go home!" she said. He walked over, and they knelt down beside the water and started to fill the jugs.

* * *

Lysette was making the bed in hers and Jack's room when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She stopped and stood up straight, putting her hands on her belly. The same pain ripped through her lower body again, and she nearly doubled over.

"Jack!" she screamed. "Jack!" Jack and Amber both came running into the room.

"What is it, Lys?" Jack asked, seeing the panicked look on her face.

"S-something's wrong with the b-baby!" she stuttered. By then, her face was red, and sweat was rolling down her cheeks. Amber noticed the puddle forming on the floor where Lysette was standing and the water trickling down her legs. Her waters had broken.

"My god, she's in labor!" Amber gasped. Jack looked at her incredulously as she thought quickly. "Alright, don't panic. Put her in the bed. I'm going to send someone to fetch Dal and TaiRon. I'll be back in a minute!" She ran out of the room. Jack helped Lysette to the bed. She held on tightly to his hand, crying.

"You'll be fine, and so will the baby," Jack said soothingly, brushing her hair off her face with his other hand.

"I'm so scared, Jack," she whispered. He kissed her on the forehead. She had another contraction and cried out in pain. Amber came back into the room with Trudy and Martin.

"I sent Charlie to get Dal and TaiRon. Martin's going to help until they get here, since he's a doctor, too," she said. Lysette and Jack both nodded.

"Look, I've never delivered a baby before, but I know how to if I have to. I'll do the best I can," Martin said.

"Your best is better than nothing," Jack said as Lysette screamed again.

"Trudy, can you go get me water and clean towels? And a blanket?" Martin requested. Trudy scurried off. Martin grabbed a chair and sat down beside the bed. "Amber, I need soap, scissors, and a ball of twine." Amber ran out of the room again. "Alright, Lysette, I need you to breathe through your contractions, or you're going to pass out, okay?" Lysette nodded, looking over at Jack. She started to moan again as another contraction came on.

"Breathe, Lys," Jack said. She started panting.

"Good girl, Lysette. Keep breathing," Martin said as Trudy and Amber came back into the room with supplies. He got up and washed his hands.

"Jack?" Lysette said weakly, in between contractions.

"I'm right here," he said reassuringly.

"Don't ever leave me," she said.

"I won't. I'm going to stay right here with you until this baby comes, Lys," he said, smiling. He kissed her on the forehead again. "I love you so much." Lysette smiled at him briefly, and then had another contraction. Jack held her hand and breathed with her, hoping that everything would be okay.

* * *

"I think that's all of them," Ryan said, putting the last jug in the wheel barrow. He wiped his hands off on his pants, turning to face Zandra. "Hungry?"

"Yes, very," she responded. Ryan opened his knapsack and pulled out the lunch Salene had made for them. Two PB and J sandwiches, some chips, and two juice boxes. They dug in and ate.

"So . . . how's Lex?" Zandra asked jokingly.

"He's your husband, you should know," Ryan replied, chewing on a chip.

"Yeah, but you're around him more than I am. He's gotten really good at avoiding me," Zandra said quietly, looking down at her hands. She picked at the crust of her sandwich.

"Sorry, Zan," Ryan said, feeling bad for her. "If he makes you so miserable, why don't you leave him? Get a divorce?" Zandra looked up at him, smiling a little.

"I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind before. But it's always stopped by one thing - if I left him, where would I go?" she said.

"You don't have to leave the mall to leave him, Zan. Just move into another room and break it off with him," he responded.

"It's not as easy as it sounds, Ryan," she said. She took a bite out of her sandwich.

"Well, you know Sal and I would be behind you one-hundred percent if you did, and so would Amber and the others. You shouldn't have to spend the rest of your life with a guy that makes you so unhappy," Ryan said.

"As opposed to staying married and feeling miserable anyway, because no matter what, I can't be with the person I really want to be with?" she retorted. Ryan looked away, turning red. "Sorry, I'd rather take my chances with Lex. At least that way, Lexi has her father around."

"Lex would never walk away from his child, you know that," Ryan said in Lex's defense.

"But he would walk away from me," Zandra countered. "And I don't want to risk that."

"What is it with you? You're not acting at all like the Zandra I know. The Zandra I know would take the risk anyway and just look at it as another challenge. She's stronger than this," Ryan said suddenly.

"Look, I don't just have myself to think about anymore. I have to do what is best for Lexi, not for me. Anyway, that Zandra died a long time ago, back at the explosion, Ryan. Or maybe she was just a dream to start with in the first place," Zandra said. She stood up and walked off, toward the water. Ryan wadded up their trash and stuffed it in his knapsack, then walked over to where she stood. He could see that she was crying, and he put his knapsack down, wrapping his arms around her. She turned around and buried her head in his chest, sobbing.

"Shhh . . . it's alright," he said softly, holding her. He put a finger under her chin and tilted her head up so he could look into her eyes. "It'll all be fine. Don't worry, okay?" She nodded. They stared at each other. He couldn't help thinking that she had the most amazing pair of blue-green eyes he had ever seen. She blinked a couple of times, wiping her eyes. Ryan brushed a single tear off her cheek. Then he kissed her gently. Zandra lay down on the ground and pulled him down on top of her as they continued to kiss.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . .**_


	22. Chunk 22: Sections 106 thru 110

**Chunk 22: Sections 106 thru 110**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 106 thru 110

* * *

"Hi, Ellie," Todd said, walking into her room. She sat in a chair, looking out the window. She didn't hear him at all, she was so wrapped up in her thoughts, so he walked quietly up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. She jumped slightly, and then looked up at him.

"Hey, sweetie," she said, smiling warmly. He bent over and kissed her on the forehead. She put her hands on his.

"Tribe Dorkus and the Mall Rats sent a messenger earlier to announce some party they're having for the opening of the clinic next Friday. They invited everyone. Including us," he said.

"And I suppose you want to go?" she responded.

"I wouldn't mind going, but only if you want to. I'm not going to force you to do anything, although I think it would be good for you to see all your friends again," he said.

"And to face Jack finally," she said in a monotone voice.

"Yes, I think it would help. Besides, we have to tell everyone that we're engaged sometime. There's no better time than the present, Ellie," he stated. She stood up and faced him.

"I guess so," she said. "Let's go. It'll be fun." She smiled, and they hugged. Alice came running into the room.

"Cloe and KC are here! Something's wrong with Lysette, and Jack sent them to fetch you, Todd!" she exclaimed. Ellie and Todd looked at her strangely.

"Are you sure?" Todd asked.

"Cloe's beside herself. KC said that Jack told him to come get you and tell you that Lysette was ill, and you needed to come right away," Alice said, shrugging her shoulders. Todd looked at Ellie.

"Come with me?" he asked. She nodded. "Alice, can you look after the girls for a little while?"

"Sure, but don't you want to take them with you? If something's seriously wrong, they need to be there," Alice said. Todd thought for a moment.

"Bring them to the mall in a couple of hours, okay?" Todd said, nodding. "It may not be that major, but you can never be sure with Lysette. Come on, Ellie." They hurried out of the room.

* * *

"Come on, Lys, push!" Dal exclaimed. Lysette squeezed Jack's hand as she beared down. Trudy and Amber were holding her feet up, and TaiRon was getting everything ready for when the baby came out. They had brought an incubator with them from the hospital, and it was hooked up to several batteries and such, with everyone hoping to give the baby the best possible chance for survival.

"Aughh!" Lysette screamed at the top of her lungs, in pain. It had been almost 5 hours since she had gone into labor, and she was exhausted.

"Alright, rest for a minute, Lys, then I'm going to need you to push again," Dal said. Lysette leaned back, and Jack wiped the sweat off her face with a towel.

"You're doing wonderful, Lysette. I'm so proud of you," Jack said. She gave him a half-hearted smile. He kissed her on the forehead.

"Alright, Lys, I need you to push again," Dal said. "One-two-three!" She beared down one last time. Finally, the baby came completely out. Dal wrapped the tiny child in a towel. "It's a girl!" He handed the baby over to TaiRon, and TaiRon cleaned her off and got her breathing. Suddenly, the little baby girl's shrill cry filled the room, and Lysette started to cry. She and Jack kissed. TaiRon brought the baby over while Dal cleaned Lysette up.

"Say hi to your mommy, little one," TaiRon said, putting the little girl in Lysette's arms. She barely weighed anything at all, but she had Todd's blonde hair and cute nose and Lysette's eyes and mouth. She looked up at Lysette and Jack with a beautiful pair of blue eyes.

"She's so beautiful, isn't she, Jack?" Lysette said.

"Yes, she is," Jack said.

"Has Todd arrived yet?" Lysette asked, knowing already that her tiny daughter might not have much time.

"No," Jack said sadly. "Hi, little bit, I'm your Uncle Jack." He held her tiny hand in his. Dal came over.

"Lysette, we need to go on ahead and put her in the incubator to keep her warm, okay?" Dal said. Lysette nodded and put the baby in Dal's arms. Dal held her for a moment. "What are you going to name her?" he asked.

"Ilse Marie" Lysette said.

"Well, Ilse Marie, we're going to give you the best care possible. Because we all want you around for a long time," Dal said, looking at the child. He smiled and then walked off to put her in the incubator. Lysette started to sob, and Jack put an arm around her.

"She'll be fine, Lysette," Jack said soothingly as Lysette cried on his shoulder. After a few minutes, everyone left the room, and Jack just held Lysette in his arms as they watched the tiny infant fighting for life in the incubator.

* * *

Zandra lay on her stomach on the ground, fully-clothed. She was propped up on her elbows staring at Ryan. Ryan lay on his back with his eyes closed.

"We have to go back to the mall soon, don't we?" she asked quietly. Ryan turned his head to look at her, squinting in the bright sunlight.

"I don't see where we have any choice, Zan. There are people back at home counting on us, and while I would love to just stay here forever with you, it's not possible," he replied. She nodded knowingly. He held her hand in his. "There's a little girl back home with your sweet smile who needs you very much, and a wife and two great kids waiting for me."

"So this is it?" she said, her voice cracking as tears filled her eyes. He gently touched her cheek.

"Yes, for now, it has to be," he responded sadly. He rolled onto his side and kissed her tenderly.

* * *

Todd and Ellie burst into the mall through the sewer entrance and rushed upstairs to Jack's room. They found Lysette in the bed fast asleep, looking pale as a ghost, and Jack pacing slowly around the room with a bundle of blankets in his arms. He stopped when he heard them come in.

"Hi, Todd, Ellie," he said, nodding at them. He smiled genuinely.

"What's wrong with Lysette?" Todd asked.

"Nothing now, other exhaustion," Jack replied. Todd and Ellie both gave him puzzled looks.

"Then what was all the fuss about?" Ellie questioned. Jack walked over to them and pulled down the blanket, revealing little Ilse inside.

"Her," he answered. Todd's mouth fell open as Ellie just stood there, speechless. Jack nervously took a deep breath before speaking again. "Todd, would you like to hold your daughter?"

"Sh-she's mine?" Todd sputtered, his eyes widening.

"Yes," Jack said warmly, nodding. "Her name is Ilse Marie." He gently put the tiny baby in Todd's arms. Todd just looked at the sleeping infant in disbelief.

"She's so tiny," Ellie observed.

"Yeah, well, she's about four months early," Jack explained. "We're doing everything we can to help her survive, since she's so small and everything. That's why we sent for you. We wanted you to be able to meet her . . . well, just in case." They all stood there in silence for a bit. Ellie wasn't really sure what to think of it all, but it scared her. Todd and Lysette had a child connecting them together now, and she was worried he might leave her for Lysette. Jack was just staring at the small diamond ring on Ellie's left hand and wondering when she was going to say something about it.

"She's so beautiful," Todd said suddenly, in awe of his daughter. "Just like her mother." His words felt like a knife stabbing Ellie in the heart. Tears filled her eyes, and she walked out of the room quickly. "Ellie!" Todd called after her. He sighed loudly and looked back at down at Ilse. He smiled. "Hi, Ilse Marie. I'm your daddy." Jack shifted uncomfortably.

"Todd, I think you'd better go after Ellie," Jack said softly, not wanting to wake Ilse or Lysette.

"What?" Todd asked, looking up.

"Go after Ellie," Jack instructed, grinning. "She's upset by all this, and I saw that diamond on her finger. If you want to keep your fiancée, I suggest you go stop her. I think Ilse will understand just this once." He smiled sincerely at Todd. Todd looked questioningly at him. "Go. I'll watch Ilse until you get back."

"Thanks, Jack," Todd said, giving the infant back to Jack and hurrying out of the room. Jack looked down at Ilse. She was waking up and looked up at him with those big blue eyes.

"Your mommy and daddy love you very much, you know that? And so do I, Ilse," Jack told the little girl. He looked over at Lysette for a moment, then back at the baby. "I love your mommy a lot, too. I just hope she knows that." Ilse let out a little cry, and Jack went over to get her bottle, sitting down in a nearby chair to feed her.

* * *

Ellie sat on the wall of the fountain in the center of the mall, with her head in her hands, crying. She felt like a complete fool. There was no way in the world Todd would want to be with her now. He and Lysette had a child. A child. Those words reverberated through the spaces in her heart over and over, making it hurt so much she thought she would explode in agony.

"Ellie?" she heard Todd say. She looked up to see him standing there, with what looked like a sympathetic smile on his face.

"What do you want?" she asked, pulling a handkerchief out of her pocket and wiping her eyes.

"I'm wondering what you're thinking right now," he replied, sitting down beside her. She looked away.

"I think that's pretty obvious," she retorted grouchily, sniffling.

"True," he admitted, nodding his head once. "But why do you think that I would leave you for Lysette? Ever?"

"She had your baby. You must love her because of that," Ellie answered.

"I do love her. As a friend," he said slowly, smiling. "She and I loved each other as more once, and we have that sweet little girl upstairs as a result. But I have no intention of pursuing a romance with Lysette again. I love you now, and you're the girl I want to be with." Ellie looked up at him with hopeful eyes and a bit of a smile. "I do, however, plan on being a good father to Ilse, above everything else. Is that okay?" He took her right hand in his left.

"Yeah, I guess so," she said quietly. "Just as long as you promise we'll always be together." Todd laughed a little.

"Well, of course. I wouldn't be marrying you without intending to stay by your side forever," he said, grinning. "Just remember, Ilse is part of the package now, too." Ellie smiled, tears filling her eyes again. Todd kissed her gently, then took her hand and led her back upstairs to Lysette and Jack's room.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . .**_


	23. Chunk 23: Sections 111 thru 115

**Chunk 23: Sections 111 thru 115**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick. The lyrics used in this chunk are from "I Will Love You" by Fisher.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 111 thru 115

* * *

Jack stood in the kitchen making himself a cup of cocoa later that night, around two a.m. He was sitting at a table, sipping it calmly when Amber came in the room.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked.

"Ilse wouldn't let me. I'm trying to let Lysette get some rest, so I've been looking after Ilse all evening. She's been really fussy since her last feeding," Jack replied wearily. Amber poured herself a cup of cocoa and sat down beside him at the table.

"So, I'm confused. Is Ilse yours or Todd's?" Amber said.

"Todd's. It was my idea to lie and tell everyone that the baby was mine. We weren't expecting her to come early," Jack admitted, embarrassed.

"Why would Lysette want to lie about who Ilse's father is?" Amber asked.

"You didn't see how scared she was when she told me. She didn't want to go back to Todd, and she didn't want him thinking that he had to be with her just because she was pregnant with his child. It just seemed like the simplest solution at the time," he responded. He finished off the last of his cocoa and plunked the mug down on the table. "But that was before . . ."

"Before what?" she inquired.

"I just love Lysette so much. Ilse, too," Jack answered. "I never thought I could love anyone so much. And what happened today scared the hell out of me. I could have lost Lysette, and Ilse could still go either way. I don't want to lose either of them."

"Have you talked to Lysette about this? Does she know how you feel?" Amber asked.

"I don't think she knows I feel this strongly about her," Jack replied. Amber finished her cocoa and put the mug in the middle of the table. She stood up.

"Well, then I highly suggest you tell her. And soon," Amber said, smiling. "Night, Jack."

"Night," he said forlornly, as she walked off.

* * *

Jack walked back to his room with a cup of cocoa in his hands. As he got closer, he could faintly hear someone singing inside. He poked his head around the doorway and saw Lysette sitting in the rocking chair with Ilse in her arms, singing to her.

"Till my body is dust . . . till my soul is no more . . . I will love you, love you . . . till the stars start to cry . . . and the moon turns to rust . . . I will love you, love you," Lysette sang to the little girl as she rocked her gently. Jack smiled, watching them. Lysette stood up and kissed her daughter on the head, then put her back in the incubator. She then got back in the bed and curled up underneath the covers.

Jack tiptoed into the room and set his mug down on a table nearby. He got into the bed, curling up beside Lysette. He wrapped his arms around her, and she snuggled up to him.

"I love you, Lys," he whispered.

"I love you, too, Jack," she murmured sleepily, as she drifted off to sleep in his arms.

* * *

The next few days passed rather quickly, with everyone getting ready for the opening of the clinic and the party that was to accompany it. Ilse was steadily improving with each day, and Todd made an effort to come by to see her at least once a day, if not more, with Ellie and Sydney in tow. Zandra and Ryan avoided each other, simply because it was easier than confronting the heartache they were both feeling.

The evening of the party arrived, and everyone was running about, trying to get ready. Ryan sat in his room, on the bed, feeding Kina while Salene was off helping Trudy do her hair. As he sat there, he watched Zandra in her room across the way.

Zandra was standing beside a basin of water with her back to him, just wearing her pants. She soaked a washcloth in the water and squeezed it out. She wiped the washcloth over the length of her arms and back, cleaning herself. Water drops rolled down her skin, noiselessly hitting the wood floor. Ryan couldn't help wishing to himself that he could be one of those lucky drops of water, just to be able to touch her warm skin. Zandra finished and dried off, pulling her shirt back on. About that time, Lex came into the room. Ryan watched as they argued about something, and Zandra's face twisted into an angry expression. Suddenly, she ran out of the room crying.

"Zandra!" Lex called after her, running to the doorway. He sighed loudly and rolled his eyes, then walked over to Ryan's room. "Hey, Ryan. What's up?"

"Not much. Just me and Kina, eating supper," Ryan said politely, smiling. He put Kina up on his shoulder to burp her. "What's got Zandra so upset?"

"Oh, I just don't feel like going to that stupid party for the clinic opening. I want to stay home with Lexi. Besides, someone has to stay behind and guard the mall," Lex said.

"Oh. And it has to be you?" Ryan inquired.

"Of course! I'm chief of security," Lex responded. "Zandra thinks I'm doing it because I just don't want to go out in public with her or something. Or I don't want to spend time with her. One of her usual accusations. I don't know why she wants to go to the stupid party so badly. It's not like it's any big deal or anything."

"But I thought Jack was staying here with Lysette and Ilse, and I'm pretty sure Sienna, Cloe, KC, Charlie, and Patsy are staying behind, too," Ryan said. "I should think they'd be able to take care of themselves and the mall for a few hours without you."

"What? No way! They'd probably trash the place with a party of their own!" Lex exclaimed. "Besides, I haven't gotten to spend much time with Lexi lately, and that's important to me. It's not that I don't want to spend time with Zan. I do . . . I just don't want to go to the party." Ryan could feel his anger rising. He couldn't help thinking that Lex was lying and just trying to avoid Zandra, as usual. Lex could be so selfish sometimes.

"Why don't I believe you?" Ryan said, putting Kina in her crib.

"What?" Lex said, surprised.

"Why don't I believe you?" Ryan repeated. "I mean, come on, Lex. You're always finding some excuse or other to avoid doing stuff with Zandra. What is it? Is it just easier to ignore her than to make the effort to show her some sort of affection and attention? And did it ever occur to you that she just wanted to go to have a little fun for a change, to get a break from Lexi, and spend some time with you? She loves you so much, and you treat her like dirt!" Lex looked away, embarrassed. "You don't deserve her now, Lex, and you never did! Has anybody ever really bothered to tell you how completely selfish you are?" Ryan was seething, his fists balled up at his sides.

"Not in the last twenty-four hours," Lex murmured jokingly.

"Well, you are. I've never met anyone as totally self-centered as you, Lex. You really never think about anyone else's feelings, ever!" Ryan exclaimed. Lex's mouth fell open in amazement at Ryan's words and obvious rage. "I hope she comes to her senses soon and leaves you. Because she deserves a lot better." With that, Ryan pushed past Lex and went to find Zandra, leaving Lex in shock.

* * *

"What a jerk!" Zandra said, tears streaming down her cheeks. She sat in Trudy's room with Trudy and Salene, while Salene did Trudy's hair.

"Yes. But Lex has always been a bit of a jerk, so I don't see why you're surprised by his actions," Trudy responded looking at Zandra in the mirror. Salene was curling her dark hair into tiny ringlets.

"I know," Zandra said with a sigh. "And it's not that I'm surprised by it. I'm just disappointed. I'm so sick of how he always lets me down."

"I would be, too, if I were in your shoes," Trudy said. "I wish there was something I could do to help."

"Like what? Find me another date to the stupid party at the last minute?" Zandra said sarcastically. Salene listened closely to Zandra's words. "Don't go to the trouble. I really didn't want to go that much in the first place." Salene put the curling iron down and fluffed Trudy's curls with her fingers.

"There you go. Done!" Salene said triumphantly. Trudy looked at herself in the mirror.

"You did a great job, Sal. Thanks!" Trudy stood up and hugged her best friend. "I'm going to go change into my dress." Trudy walked out of the room. Salene looked over at Zandra, who sat on the bed, crying. She walked over and sat down beside her on the bed, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"It's okay, Zandra. I think I have an idea," Salene said soothingly.

"An idea about what?" Zandra asked, looking up at her. She wiped her eyes, sniffling.

"The party," Salene replied. "You want to go more than I do, and since Ryan wants to go, while Lex and I don't . . ." Zandra stood up, realizing what Salene was saying, her eyes widening.

"Sal, what are you suggesting? That Ryan and I go to the party together?" Zandra sputtered. Zandra going to the party with Ryan would be like pouring salt on a fresh wound, not that Salene knew that. It would be like the date from hell, possibly worse. Having to spend the night with Ryan was something Zandra didn't think she could handle at all.

"Yes, I am suggesting exactly that," Salene said generously. Zandra took a few steps back, her mouth opening. She was already feeling guilty for fooling around with Ryan as it was, and Salene's innocent and open-handed offer wasn't helping. She didn't deserve Salene's sympathy, and she knew it.

"No way. You should go, Salene. Ryan is your husband, not mine," Zandra objected. "Besides, I'll get over it. It's not that big of a deal, really. Go with Ryan, have a good time."

"No, you go with Ryan. You'll have a great time. And you really want to go, don't you?" Salene said, confused. She gave Zandra a bewildered look. Zandra looked away.

"Yes, but . . . ," Zandra trailed off.

"But what?" Salene inquired.

"I don't think it's such a good idea, Salene," Zandra replied. "I mean, thanks and all, because it's really sweet of you. But it's just not a good idea."

"Why in the world not?" Salene asked in a shocked tone. "I think it's a rather ingenious idea myself." She couldn't believe Zandra wasn't jumping at her offer. Under normal circumstances, Zandra would have said yes to something like this. Salene knew how much Zandra liked to dress up and go to parties. She didn't understand why Zandra was behaving so strangely about it.

"It . . . it just isn't!" Zandra exclaimed in response. She put her hand on her forehead and closed her eyes. Salene stood up, putting her hands on her hips.

"Well, my mind is made up," Salene said indignantly. Zandra opened her eyes, looking at Salene fearfully. "You're my best friend, aside from Trudy, and I want you to be happy. Ryan's going to take you to that party. And that's my final word." She scurried off to go find Ryan to tell him.

"Salene!" Zandra called after her. But it was no use. Salene was already off and running. Zandra sunk down in a nearby chair and put her head in her hands, sighing loudly in frustration.

* * *

Ryan squirmed uncomfortably at the foot of the stairs as he waited for Zandra to come downstairs, so they could go to the party. He'd nearly choked on his supper when Salene had walked into the café and told him he was taking Zandra instead of her. It was the last thing on earth he wanted to be doing, after all that had happened. It was the icing on the cake, only instead of being sweet, it left a very bitter taste in his mouth.

Patsy and Sienna also stood at the base of the stairs, waiting with a Polaroid camera to take pictures of everyone. Dal had fixed it earlier that week and found some film, telling the girls to capture the special night for everyone. Along with the girls, nearly all of the boys were down there, each waiting for their date along with Ryan. Jack was upstairs with Lysette and Ilse, and Charlie and KC were hiding along with Cloe in the café. They were sulking because they weren't allowed to attend the celebration. Lex was in the nursery with Lexi, playing with her. Salene was putting the twins to bed.

Amber was the first to place one delicate foot in front of the other down the stairs. She wore a dark purple, sleeveless, silk dress, and her hair was pulled up in a mass of curls on her head. Bray met her halfway, and she took his arm. They stopped at the last step as Patsy took a quick picture. They had to be at the hospital early to help out Dal, Tzara, and TaiRon, who were already there, decorating and setting tables up.

"You look beautiful, Amber!" Cloe squealed in excitement. Amber smiled gratefully.

"Thanks. I had a hard time picking out a dress to wear," Amber said. She looked at Bray, and he nodded. They walked out the front entrance of the mall. That still left four girls who were getting ready.

Tai-San and Ebony came down the stairs next, together. Tai-San was radiant in a plum velvet sleeveless top and matching silk skirt. She had let her hair down for the occasion, and it fell to her shoulders like thick black silk. Sasha practically ran up the stairs and handed her a bouquet of daisies he had picked for her earlier that day. Tai-San smiled bashfully, smelling them.

"Thank you, Sasha," she said softly.

"You look . . . well . . . just incredible," he stuttered, turning a bit red. She took his hand in hers, and they descended the stairs, also stopping for Patsy to take a picture before exiting the mall.

Ebony then made the rest of her way down the stairs. She wore a strapless, jade-green dress that had an empire waist and a shawl of the same color. The color of the dress brought out the brown in her eyes. She had her hair pulled back partially in a bun, and the rest hung softly loose. Everyone's mouths fell open, shocked to see her actually looking feminine for once. She met Troy at the last step. He smiled reassuringly at her and offered his arm. Taking it, Patsy took a picture of them, and they left.

Next was Trudy. She wore a forest green dress that was sleeveless with a big puffy skirt. Her hair was in tight ringlets, pulled back by a faux pearl headband. The dress suited her perfectly, not only in physical shape, but to her personality as well. She looked like a princess, more dressed up than anyone else. Martin strode confidently up the stairs to her, and they joined hands, walking down the stairs. Patsy took a quick picture as they left.

Ryan sighed loudly, tapping his foot. What was taking Zandra so long? He looked over at Patsy and Sienna questioningly. They both just shrugged their shoulders. Then Zandra came down the stairs slowly. Looking at her, Ryan's eyes widened, and he sucked in his breath. She looked amazing.

She wore a white oxford wrap-around shirt and a simple, lavender A-line skirt. Somehow, in the short amount of time she'd had to get ready, she had ironed her hair stick straight, and it was pulled back into a braid with a jeweled barrette. She forced herself to smile as she approached Ryan, not wanting to hurt his feelings, although she was sure he wanted to go with her about as much as she wanted to go with him. Ryan smiled back.

"Doesn't she look great?" Salene said, coming down the stairs partially. Ryan looked up at his wife.

"Yeah. Very pretty," he responded.

"It took an hour to get her hair looking like that," Salene said, grinning. "You guys have fun tonight, okay? I expect a full report of all the festivities - what everyone wore, what you ate, everything! Bye!" She waved, walking back up the stairs. Ryan looked down at his feet, feeling guilty again.

"Let's just go, okay?" Zandra said. He looked up. She stood in front of him. "We don't have to stay that long. Let's just go to say we went, and then we can go eat at one of the bars nearby, okay? Just to appease Sal." He nodded, smiling in relief. Cloe took a picture of them, and they left. Patsy looked over at Sienna.

"I don't think Ryan and Zandra are going to have a very good time at all," Patsy said, not knowing in her naiveté how right she was.

"I don't think they are either," Sienna said, frowning. "Come on, let's go upstairs. It's time we have a party of our own." Patsy grinned in response, and the two girls ran upstairs to the café, giggling the whole way.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . .**_


	24. Chunk 24: Sections 116 thru 120

**Chunk 24: Sections 116 thru 120**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 116 thru 120

* * *

Ellie and Todd walked hand-in-hand into the ballroom at the hospital, where the party was already in full swing with the music blasting. The room seemed alive, with all the people dancing to a fast tempo dance tune. Ellie quickly scanned the room, looking for anyone she knew. Dal, Tzara, Amber, and Bray all stood by the refreshment table, talking and laughing. Todd followed Ellie's gaze over to where her friends stood and squeezed her hand reassuringly, sensing her apprehensive mood.

"Care to mingle?" he practically had to shout so she could hear him. She nodded, and he led her through the crowd over to where the others were. Amber smiled and waved at them. Ellie looked very elegant in her pale blue gown, which was straight-lined and sleek, with a matching shawl.

"Hi, everyone!" Ellie forced herself to say cheerily. The others smiled and nodded at her and Todd, not wanting to shout over the music. Tzara left Dal's side and walked over to Ellie.

"Jack and Lysette told me about your engagement to Todd!" she leaned towards Ellie and said. "Congratulations!" She gave Ellie a squeeze.

"Thanks," Ellie said gratefully, smiling at the girl.

"Dal and I were wondering if it would be alright if we offered up a toast to your engagement tonight, along with everything else!" Tzara exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's fine. What's one more thing to celebrate going to hurt?!" Ellie responded. Tzara nodded.

"Great! Congratulations again!" Tzara squealed before making her way back over to Dal. Todd leaned towards Ellie to talk.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked. Ellie nodded in relief. She wasn't in the mood to make small talk that evening. They walked out onto the dance floor. The song changed to a slow one, and Ellie rested her head on Todd's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She closed her eyes and felt the whole world drift away, aside from her and Todd at that moment.

* * *

"Your turn, KC!" Sienna said, smiling mischievously. "Truth or dare?" He, Sienna, Charlie, Cloe, and Patsy sat in a circle on the floor of Patsy and Cloe's bedroom. KC thought for a moment, and then sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Truth," he said in a monotone voice. Playing Truth or Dare was beginning to bore him. It was something girls did, not guys.

"What is . . . the farthest you've ever gone with a girl?" Sienna asked, being nosy. Cloe's eyes widened in embarrassment at the question. KC's mouth fell open.

"I'm not answering that," he said defiantly.

"Why not?" Sienna said, pouting.

"Because it's none of your beeswax, you stupid cow!" Cloe exclaimed defensively. Sienna started laughing.

"But we are playing Truth or Dare, so he has to answer," Sienna responded, grinning. "KC?"

"I said I'm not answering that. I didn't even want to play this stupid game in the first place, Sienna. It was your idea," KC said. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh, come on! It's just a game! Nothing said here will leave the five of us!" Sienna said playfully.

"Sie, back off," Charlie stepped in, seeing how irritated KC was getting and how upset Cloe was by it. "Just give him a dare." Sienna pouted. "Sienna, do it." She then crossed her arms over her chest as well, staring up at the ceiling for a minute. She thought silently, as a wonderful idea came to her.

"Alright. If you won't answer the question, there's only one way I'm going to let you out of it," she began. KC looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "You have to kiss me." Cloe's expression changed from one of upset to horror.

"No way, Sienna! He's my boyfriend, and I'm not letting him kiss you!" Cloe shrieked angrily.

"It's the only way I'm going to let him out of this. He has to kiss me. Just a little peck on the cheek. Nothing more," Sienna said, feigning innocence.

"Nothing more, my eyeballs! KC, tell her no!" Cloe demanded. KC shrugged, giving Cloe an odd grin. "KC? You have to say no. Please?" She looked at him desperately.

"If it will shut her up about it, then . . . ," KC trailed off. Cloe scowled at him, then at Sienna.

"Fine. If that's the way you want it, he's all yours. You're perfect for each other anyway!" she said, calmly standing up. "Both completely selfish and insensitive! And I hate you both!" With that, she ran out of the room in tears. The other three looked at Sienna sternly.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" she said, looking puzzled.

"That was just mean, Sienna," Patsy said. "I'm going to go after Cloe." Patsy walked to the doorway. KC sighed in relief that Patsy hadn't scolded him as well. Then she stopped and turned around. "KC, you're just a . . . a . . . a big jerk! And I'll deal with you later!" She ran off after Cloe. KC put his hand on his forehead in frustration.

"This is why I didn't want to play this dumb old game in the first place. Someone's feelings always seem to get hurt. Thanks a lot, Sienna," he said sarcastically. He got up and left the room, followed by Charlie. Sienna just shrugged.

"Oh, well," she said, grinning. "Guess that's the end of the two lovebirds then. And KC will be all mine soon. Much easier to pull off than I thought it would be" She rubbed her hands together, chuckling lightly.

* * *

Zandra walked over to the punch bowl, leaving Ryan across the room talking to Bray and Amber. She picked up a glass of fruit punch and turned to look at the crowds around the room. There were people dancing, some talking. She saw Alice dancing happily out on the dance floor with TaiRon from Tribe Dorkus. Alice had lost weight in the past few months, and she was wearing a sleek, short-sleeved cranberry dress that suited her very well. Alice and TaiRon waved at Zandra, and she waved back, smiling. At least someone was having fun tonight.

"Hi, Zandra," a familiar female voice said. Zandra looked over to see May standing beside her.

"Hey," she replied. May had decided to stay with the Rebels after the Chosen were defeated, but she still came to visit Salene at the mall a lot. Zandra wasn't particularly fond of her, mostly because she got the impression that May was always suspicious of her, like she was going to steal Ryan from Salene or something. It also didn't help that May and Lex had been involved one point, but Zandra didn't really care about that too much anymore. May could have Lex for all she cared. He wasn't worth it anyway.

"Nice party," May commented.

"Yeah. Dal and Tzara did a wonderful job," Zandra said politely. She took a sip of her punch. She knew May was just itching to say something about the fact that she and Ryan had come together, and she was just waiting for it.

"So, how's Lex? And where is he tonight? I thought he loved a good party," May asked.

"He's doing fine, as far as I know. He decided to stay at home with Lexi tonight," Zandra replied coldly.

"It was sweet of Ryan to bring you," May said in a sugary sweet voice that made Zandra want to slap her.

"Well . . . it was Salene's idea, not his or mine. I was perfectly fine staying at home with my husband and my child," Zandra snapped. "I mean, it was incredibly generous of Salene to think of it, and I'm grateful to her, but she didn't have to do it."

"I thought you'd be happy to have Ryan to yourself for the evening. Not have to compete with his wife and children for his attention for once. You're acting as though the sky is falling instead," May responded snidely, giving Zandra an innocent smile.

"I have a husband of my own. And I'm very happy with him," Zandra said, though it wasn't entirely true. "When are you going to get it through that head of yours that I don't want Ryan?! He loves Salene! And Salene is one of my very best friends, and I would never do anything that cruel to her!" May's comments were really starting to get to her. She was growing angry.

"Never is a long time, Zandra. Don't fool yourself," May said. Zandra took a deep breath, fuming by now. She put a smile on her face.

"You know what, May? Salene's a big girl. She can take care of herself. And if she suspected anything, she wouldn't have suggested Ryan and I come together in the first place. So why don't you just mind your own damn business and stop getting up into the middle of mine," Zandra said sweetly. With that, she poured her punch down the front of May's dress and walked away. She stormed across the room and grabbed Ryan by the arm.

"Let's dance," she ordered, dragging him out onto the dance floor. He put his arms around her waist, and they began to sway to the music.

"What's got you all in a fit?" Ryan asked in concern.

"That stupid May. She doesn't know that she's talking about. I wish she'd just mind her own business and leave me alone," Zandra responded angrily.

"What did she say to you?" he asked.

"Just her usual. She accused me again of trying to steal you from Salene and the twins. Which is preposterous! We agreed days ago that nothing was going to happen between us," she exclaimed. "Ooo . . . it just irks me! She thinks she knows me so well, that she's got me all figured out! She doesn't even have a clue!"

"She's just very protective of Sal, Zandra. Don't let her get to you," he said. "She's not worth the fuss."

"I know. But sometimes, my temper just gets the better of me," she agreed.

"That I am very well aware of, considering I've known you for about four years, Zan," he said, smiling. Zandra looked down at her feet as they danced.

"I poured my cup of punch on the front of her dress," Zandra said sheepishly. Ryan started to laugh, a deep, hearty laugh. He pulled Zandra closer to him, and she put her head against his chest.

"Way to go," he said, still laughing. "That sounds like the Zandra I know and love."

"Do you really love me?" she murmured. Ryan stopped where they were standing, and stepping back, looked at her in shock.

"Don't ever doubt that, Zan. I love you. I always have, I always will," Ryan said. He took her back in his arms and they started to dance again.

"I love you, too, Ryan," she responded. "But things are different now. We both have families of our own, children to take care of." She paused for a moment, tears filling her eyes. "And I'm married to your best friend, and you're married to mine. And that just makes it impossible."

"It's impossible any way you look at it," he told her. "Which is why tonight is the end of it."

"What do you mean?" she said quietly, not daring to look at him, afraid she would get down on her knees and beg, even though she knew he was right.

"After tonight, we don't talk about how we feel, we don't talk about what happened, nothing. It never happened," he said firmly. "As much as I hate it, it has to be this way."

"I know," she said, her voice breaking as she started to sob.

"I'm still here for you, though. I always will be. You're my best friend in the whole world, and nothing can change that at least," he said. He held her tightly as she cried, bowing his head as tears welled up in his eyes. "Nothing can change that."

* * *

Jack scurried around the room he shared with Lysette, making sure everything was in place. He only had a few minutes while Lysette was bathing Ilse, since Dal had told them not to take her out of the incubator for too long. He had to get everything just right.

He flipped the lights off, and then lit a couple of candles. Then he brought the food in, placing it on his worktable. He checked his pocket to make sure his mother's engagement ring was still there. The music was the last touch. He switched the stereo on and soft piano music filled the room. He looked around at his masterpiece of handiwork. A romantic candle-light dinner.

"Perfect," he murmured. "Now to go get Lysette and Ilse." He hurried out of the room and down the hallway to the café. Lysette stood at the sink, supporting her tiny daughter's body with one hand, while using a wash cloth to rinse her off with the other hand. He walked up behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Almost done?"

"Yeah. I just have to dry her off and get her dressed. Zandra gave me some of Lexi's old clothes, stuff she's outgrown," Lysette replied. "Wasn't that sweet of her?" After pulling the drain on the sink to let the water out, she wrapped Ilse up in a towel and turned to face Jack.

"Yeah, that was very sweet of her," Jack said nervously. Lysette looked at him strangely.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Uh . . . no . . . nothing's wrong. Listen, after you get Ilse dressed, I'll take her for a little while. I've left a surprise for you in your old room," he responded. Lysette gently dried Ilse off and then started to dress her in a white onesie and a pair of pink overalls.

"All . . . right," she agreed slowly. "You certainly are acting strange, Jack. Are you sure everything's alright?"

"Yeah. Everything's fine. Don't worry," he said, smiling. He kissed her on the cheek as she handed Ilse to him. "Just go see your surprise, alright." She cocked her head to the side, smiling at him.

"Okay," she said, shaking her head. She kissed her daughter on the head and walked out of the room. Jack shifted Ilse in his arms, and then walked back toward their room with a grin on his face.

* * *

"Lex?" KC said, poking his head in the doorway of the nursery downstairs. Lex sat in a rocking chair, holding Lexi as she drifted off to sleep. Lex looked up at him.

"Shhh . . . she's finally sleeping." Lex got up and put Lexi in her crib. "What is it, mate?"

"Cloe's mad at me . . . ," KC said softly.

"What did you do?" Lex said, chuckling. KC was leaning against the doorway with an uncharacteristically forlorn look on his face.

"I didn't do anything! Sienna started it!" KC said defensively. "Her and her stupid Truth or Dare game."

"Well, have you tried apologizing to Cloe?" Lex asked. "I mean, when in doubt, admit you're wrong, even if you didn't do anything."

"I tried that," KC said curtly.

"And?"

"She threw a very large stuffed animal at me," KC responded. "And she throws really well. Hit me in the head with it and knocked me off my feet." Lex started snickering at that point. "What?" Lex shook his head, laughing.

"What in the world did you do, KC? Really? It must have been something pretty major to make her throw a stuffed animal at you," Lex said with a grin.

"Well . . . we were playing Truth or Dare . . . and Sienna asked me how far I'd gone with a girl. And of course, I refused to answer that, because it's none of her business. Anyway, Cloe was right there. I wasn't about to reveal details about our relationship to everyone with her sitting right in front of me. So Sienna said the only way she'd let me out of answering the question was if I kissed her . . . ," KC trailed off.

"Well, you said no, didn't you?" Lex asked, walking over to him. KC grimaced uncomfortably at the question.

"Uh . . . not exactly," KC replied guiltily, looking down at his feet. Lex swatted KC hard across the back of the head. KC let out a yelp of pain.

"Way to go, moron! You practically cheated on her, and you did it right in front of her at that! How did you expect her to react?" Lex exclaimed. KC shrugged sheepishly. "You are going to have to do some major groveling if you want to fix this one, buddy. Come on. We'll go to my room and talk about it." He pushed KC away from the doorway, and they headed toward Lex's room.

* * *

_**That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . .**_


	25. Chunk 25: Sections 121 thru 123

**Chunk 25: Sections 121 thru 123**

**Fandom: **The Tribe

**Author: **PinkTribeChick

**Summary:** _I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . _Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.

**Extended Summary: **Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before

**Rating: **Teen

**Pairing: **Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.

**Author's Notes: **Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.

Okies guys – this is the last three sections! And the sequel is coming soon! I hope you liked this story!

Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick. The lyrics used in this chunk are again from "I Will Love You" by Fisher.

* * *

**Tribe 3: Wonderwall**

Sections 121 thru 123

* * *

"Thank you, everyone, for coming tonight," Dal said into the microphone. Tzara stood on the stage beside him, absolutely glowing in a lilac, empire-waisted dress, her red hair pulled back into a loose bun. "I'm not only touched by your support of the clinic, but by all your hard work and generosity as well. I'm grateful to Tribe Dorkus for their vision and effort, especially Martin and TaiRon. To the Mall Rats for their selflessness and eagerness to help and do volunteer work at the clinic. And lastly, to the Farm Girls, for graciously offering to donate food, herbs, and other much needed supplies for as long as we need them." He paused, looking out across the faces in the crowded room. His eyes came to rest on Ellie, and he smiled.

"You know, I was really scared at first when TaiRon and Martin approached me about the idea of opening a clinic. I was so unsure if it would succeed, so unsure if I had what it took to take care of people, to be a doctor. Both of my parents were doctors, and even as a young child, I saw the kind of stress it put on them. But at the same time, I saw how much they helped people, and I wanted to be able to do the same. Then suddenly, the virus hit one day, and people were dying everywhere, and my parents were powerless to save them. I remember many times when my mother came home and curled up in bed, just racked with sobs from it all. And that made me not want to be a doctor, made me doubt the ability of anyone to truly save lives. When finally there were no adults, I gave up all hope of reaching my dream. How could I become a doctor when there was no one to teach me how," he said, with a shrug.

"But slowly, I realized there were books I could read, and in a world like ours, there was plenty of experience to be gained. But there were two people, two very special girls that helped me regain my confidence and forced me to make my dream a reality." He paused again, taking a deep breath before speaking once more.

"As a few of you know, the clinic has already treated its first two patients before it even opened. One of them is here tonight. Her name is Ellie, and she is one of the Mall Rats, not to mention a very close friend of mine. She helped me without even intending to do so, and I thank her for that. And I'm so thankful that she's alive, thanks to this clinic, and I know the other Mall Rats will agree with me, and so will her fiancé, Todd, who she recently became engaged to," Dal explained, pausing again as everyone applauded and cheer. Ellie grinned, blushing, as Todd gave her a squeeze. Dal started to speak again.

"The other patient, our first birth since the forming of the clinic, is Ilse Marie, Todd and Lysette's daughter. She is about a week old, born three months prematurely. If we had not formed the clinic, pooling our knowledge and supplies from this hospital, I honestly don't think she would still be alive today. She wouldn't have made it more than a few hours. So not only can I say that we've saved a life, but we've brought a very precious one into the world as well." Dal broke off, tears welling up in his eyes. Tzara took his hand in hers, smiling at him lovingly. He regained his composure after a moment. "I'm just so glad this day is here, that I'm able to see my dream, as well as the dream of others come true. And with everything that's happened, that's good. I think what we're doing here is something good. Hopefully, with your support, and that of future generations, it will continue on that way. So on that note, I would like to congratulate Ellie and Todd on their impending marriage, and . . . without further ado, I declare this clinic officially OPEN!" He threw his fist into the air, as the room erupted in cheers.

"Enjoy the rest of the party, and have a great night!" Dal took Tzara's hand and they stepped down from the stage as the music started again. Dal swept her up in his arms as they danced the night away.

* * *

Lysette stepped into her old bedroom timidly, not sure what the surprise Jack had left for her there was. She looked around the room. It was empty, save furniture and Sienna's belongings. Lysette sighed irritably, trying to fight back another one of her frequent post-partum mood swings.

"If this is supposed to be some sort of joke, it's not funny," Lysette grumbled under her breath. She walked around the room, looking under the beds, under the chairs. Finally, in frustration, she spun around to walk out of the room. As she did so, she saw the surprise Jack had been talking about. Hanging from the door of the armoire in the room that she and Sienna used to store their clothing was a dress. Her eyes filled with tears as she walked over to it, taking it off the door. Her hands shook as she held the pink silk dress in her hands. There was a note from Jack pinned to it.

_Lysette,_

_Ilse and I would be very honored if you would join us for dinner this evening at 7 pm. The attire is formal. A full three-course meal and dessert will be served._

_Jack_

Lysette smiled, a few tears trickling down her cheeks. Could Jack be any sweeter? She didn't deserve this, but he was doing it anyway. He was always doing stuff like this. It was part of what made her love him so much. She looked at her watch. It was almost six forty-five. She had to hurry if she was going to be ready by seven.

* * *

Lysette walked into the darkened room, dressed in the soft pink dress Jack had given her. Her hair was slightly curled and pulled back at the sides with combs. Her bare feet padded across the floor, making a light thudding noise. She looked around the room.

"Jack? Where are you?" she called out. There was music playing softly, but she could see where it was coming from. Suddenly, she felt a pair of warm hands cover her eyes, and she jumped a bit.

"I've got another surprise for you, Lys," she heard Jack whisper in her ear.

"More? What is it?" she asked, feeling excited. She could feel his sweet breath on her neck.

"I'm going to take you to it, but you have to promise to keep your eyes closed until I say you can open them," he replied.

"Alright." He took his hands away and looked at her. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut. "Are we there yet?" She opened one eye and squinted at him, a devilish smile on her face. Jack laughed.

"Close 'em! No peeking allowed!" he commanded with a grin. She giggled. As she shut her eyes again, he took her hands in his. "Come on." He led her through the room, carefully pointing out things for her to step over. When they finally got to the feast Jack had painstakingly laid out, he put his hands over her eyes again. "Alright . . . you ready?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed. He slowly took his hands away from her eyes. She gasped when she saw everything. A full meal was set out on the table. The room was decorated with candles, twinkling white Christmas lights, and flowers. Even Ilse's incubator was decorated, with Christmas lights and little pink flowers. Tears filled Lysette's eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked when he saw her begin to cry. She put a hand over her mouth, shaking her head.

"Nothing . . . it's just . . . I don't deserve this . . . any of this," she answered quietly. Nobody has ever done anything this wonderful for me before." He looked at her with an expression of confusion.

"So . . . I did a good thing?" he asked. She nodded, smiling. "Well . . . you can't say nobody anymore. Because I'm doing this for you. Because you are such an incredible person. You are so strong and so beautiful, and I love you so much. You and Ilse," he responded. She turned to face him, smiling. Her eyes glistened with tears as she hugged him tightly. As he hugged her back, he heard her whisper, "Thank you, Jack." She stepped back and looked at him for a moment.

"Why did you do all of this?" she inquired, still completely oblivious to what he was trying to say. He shifted, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Well . . . I was going to wait until after we ate to say all this . . . but now seems to be the right time," Jack mumbled. He took both of Lysette's hands in his, taking a deep breath before speaking again. "Lys . . . when our friendship started out, we were just sort of leaning on each other, because neither of us had anyone else we felt like we could depend on. We never expected it to become anything more. But it did somehow. And something about it just felt so right. Then Ilse came . . . and suddenly, I felt like I had found my purpose in life. And that purpose is to be with you, and to take care of you and Ilse, and any other little ones that we may have. Forever. That's all I want to do. But only if you want me to. If you'll let me . . ." Her eyes widened, and her smile faded.

"What are you saying, Jack?" she questioned. He smiled, opening his right hand to reveal a small silver ring.

"Marry me?" he said, his voice wobbling because he was shaking so badly. He was so nervous at right then. She just stared at the ring in his hand for a moment, her mouth slightly open in shock. Jack tried to figure out exactly what she was thinking, but aside from shock, her face and eyes were expressionless. For a single solitary moment, he started to panic, thinking she was going to say no. But then she swallowed, tears filling her eyes again. She started to nod before any words came out.

"Yes," she said, still nodding. A smile drew itself upon her face.

"Yes?" he repeated quietly. He could barely believe his ears. She looked at him, laughing at his disbelief.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "You silly boy, yes!" She cupped her hands around his chin and kissed him gently. As a new song started to play on the stereo nearby, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. They danced slowly.

_'Til my body is dust . . . 'til my soul is no more . . . I will love you, love you . . ._

As they continued to dance, the world went on around them. And a few doors down, Bray was putting Michael to bed, as Amber curled up in bed with a book waiting for Bray. The eternal love that would last many lifetimes lived within that small family.

_'Til the sun starts to cry . . . And the moon turns to rust . . . I will love you, love you . . ._

And downstairs, a pair of friends said their goodbyes, with a final kiss for what could never be. They each returned to their respective spouses and children, mourning for each other. What miserable lives they would lead from then on. Or would they?

_But I need to know . . . Will you stay for all time . . . Forever and a day . . . Then I'll give my heart 'til the end of all time . . . Forever and a day . . ._

As crowds of people continued to dance around them in celebration, a couple held on tightly to each other, moving slowly to the music. A frightened princess and her strong knight in shining armor. Possibly the most unlikely couple in the world.

The world seemed to be perfect for the time being. Things couldn't have been any better. But they were going to get much worse before they grew better again . . .

_'Til the storms fill my eyes . . . And we touch the last time . . . I will love you, love you . . . I will love you, love you . . . I will love you, love you . . ._

**The End**

* * *

_**That's all for "Wonderwall", folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! **_

_**I will be posting the first part of the sequel, "Wherever You Will Go: An Intermission," soon, so be on the lookout for it! Toodles until then!**_


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